This is being marketed as a horror but I think it's right on the border of YA and Adult Urban Fantasy?
Immerses you right in a world of magic, mon(3.5)
This is being marketed as a horror but I think it's right on the border of YA and Adult Urban Fantasy?
Immerses you right in a world of magic, monsters, traveling unethical organizations, a fabulous female villain, and a queer Black artist trying to make sense of his mother's death.
Themes of grief, loss, and loneliness abound, and this is a book that attempts a lot- overlaying an entire magic system and lore alongside a cast of MCs AND a MacGuffin travelogue journey- but mostly sticks the landing. if you like fantasy, witches, dark stories of revenge and loss, budding queer relationships alongside a pretty cool magic system, this is for you....more
Really enjoyed the first half of this magical realism journey into the psyches of two sisters. One sister lives hard and was a lot of fun, while the oReally enjoyed the first half of this magical realism journey into the psyches of two sisters. One sister lives hard and was a lot of fun, while the other is obsessed with healing and getting to the root of their joint trauma. I think the second half- where we get a little too caught up in the magical mystery part of it- will lose people who are interested in the more realistic parts.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous and it's clear the author was a poet first. I liked a lot of this and recommend for people who love spec fic, magical realism, confusion, and really great writing about change, shifting, transforming, and gently making fun of wellness culture. ...more
Loved! As a longtime Keep It! Listener, I thought I was familiar with Ira's encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture, but this was an experience: I have Loved! As a longtime Keep It! Listener, I thought I was familiar with Ira's encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture, but this was an experience: I have a syllabus for movies to watch after digging into this deep dive of nostalgia, obsession, and how pop culture shapes us- and we shape it. Ira is brilliant and his brain continues to inspire and impress. ...more
And what costume shall the poor girl wear / To all tomorrow's parties?
Astounding. This book has gotten a big push, but it's well deserved- the writingAnd what costume shall the poor girl wear / To all tomorrow's parties?
Astounding. This book has gotten a big push, but it's well deserved- the writing is sumptuous, lived-in, and pulsing with observational bon mots. Rob Franklin is a talented chronicler of the way joy can turn to rot, how parties can become haunted, and how the promise of success isn't always borne out.
The story of Smith, a queer Black man with intimate connections to nightlife and the NYC glitterati, and his journey into the underbelly of the court system after he's caught with cocaine in the Hamptons, I loved how the queerness and Blackness of the novel was irrefutable: you can only observe as much as Smith does when you're on the outside.
My favorite parts of this novel were both the party scenes and the visit to Atlanta: I loved reading about the "Jack and Jill types" of the upwardly mobile Black community. The novel is frank in its discussions about race and desire without being pedantic or didactic, which I appreciated.
I loved this book. Franklin writes beautifully about grief, New York, friendship, and celebrations, and I appreciated the twinned nature of writing about happiness and loss, alongside the knowledge that you can't have one without the other....more
It's clear that Campbell is a poet when you read his writing: the language was evocative, silky, and haunting, with passages lingering long after you'It's clear that Campbell is a poet when you read his writing: the language was evocative, silky, and haunting, with passages lingering long after you've read them.
A speculative take on the road trip novel in a world where white people have walked into the sea, this book explores how to define Blackness outside of whiteness. There are passages that go deep into ancestral and spiritual trauma that are both beautifully written and haunting. The Black identity is plunged for emotional and logistical truth: what does it mean to be mixed? What role does the police serve? Who is doing the policing? Who makes the rules?
The middle of the novel is the strongest, and there are some twists I won't spoil that both moved me and raised my eyebrows. Campbell has created a stunning vision of a world where people are free and thriving outside of their pasts, and I wish I could have spent more time there. Gorgeously written. ...more
Prickly and dark. I think this is a masterpiece, but I know mileage may vary. Brown plays with identity brilliantly, evoking conversations and argumenPrickly and dark. I think this is a masterpiece, but I know mileage may vary. Brown plays with identity brilliantly, evoking conversations and arguments being had by the intelligentsia both in the UK and the US. Every time you find yourself agreeing with a character, Brown makes sure to subtly remind us how vile so many of these people are: the characterization is top notch. I'm obsessed with the last chapter.
A triumphant exploration of grief, healing, and moving on after trauma. I loved the deep dive into African American history- the piecing together(3.5)
A triumphant exploration of grief, healing, and moving on after trauma. I loved the deep dive into African American history- the piecing together of the narrative was breathless and devastating, but ultimately came together beautifully.
There were some parts that absolutely didn't work for me, and a focus on some extraneous characters, but I understand that Wilkerson was weaving a quilt of breathing, moving people with individual desires. The end made it all worth it....more
Brilliant. I love friendship novels so much, and this one was ambitious and fascinating. Four women become friends and embark on various journeys(4.5)
Brilliant. I love friendship novels so much, and this one was ambitious and fascinating. Four women become friends and embark on various journeys throughout the changing world from 2007-2027. I wish there were slightly more of a few of the friends, and one of them haunted the narrative.
Flournoy loves Los Angeles and the pitch perfect depiction of the city was heartwarming. I loved the chapter on motherhood as well- it felt real, lived in, and raw. I'm excited for more people to tap into this gorgeous depiction of Black womanhood, Black friendship, and the creation of chosen family....more
Funny, fast moving essays about queerness, Blackness, identity formation, and existing at the intersection of identities. I loved the essays where BraFunny, fast moving essays about queerness, Blackness, identity formation, and existing at the intersection of identities. I loved the essays where Brathwaite discussed pop culture- they were elegant and fun, and he's clearly a student of culture.
My only issues come in with the struggle it seems Brathwaite was having within himself: the waffling around desire and dating are a common struggle to many queer POC, but many ultimately make a decision. It seems the author hasn't quite figured out what the "right" thing to do is, and instead unloads on us in two separate chapters about the same thing where externalizing the struggle did not seem to help alleviate any of the confusion. ...more
A jagged masterpiece- different from what I expected, but expertly skewers the social norms of liberal New Yorkers in the fifties (how little has(3.5)
A jagged masterpiece- different from what I expected, but expertly skewers the social norms of liberal New Yorkers in the fifties (how little has changed!!) and challenges our conceptions of race, gender, sexuality, and decency. Messy in a way I didn't expect but craved. Beautiful, intense prose. Baldwin is a genius....more
Fun with a dark core. Senna is brilliant and I'm obsessed with CAUCASIA, and this book proves her mastery of American racial politics remains as stronFun with a dark core. Senna is brilliant and I'm obsessed with CAUCASIA, and this book proves her mastery of American racial politics remains as strong as ever.
This book is a critical look at her own obsession with mixedness blended together with a takedown of Hollywood culture, Senna skewers many of the current tropes around Blackness, identity, being mixed, and the white American view of outgroups. There's a lot of dialogue and a lot of tension, but the last third coalesces into something transcendent. I loved this, even if it did make me zero in on a lot of the racial tropes present in all of our media....more
Thank you to my book club members for reading this alongside me this month!
Ultimately would have worked better for me if it focused on some historicaThank you to my book club members for reading this alongside me this month!
Ultimately would have worked better for me if it focused on some historical characters mentioned at the end, or explored inter-family dynamics with a closer eye. How does the protagonist feel about her daughter being able to do things she never could, thanks to the Forgiveness Act? How does Lourdes' disinterest in exploring her own past manifest in Willie?
I liked the scenes of the entire family together, but I think a lot of plot threads could have been tied up better. The political works better when tied with the personal is great advice but somehow the political got lost....more
Review forthcoming on TikTok! Beautifully written and moves surprisingly quickly for such a big book. I think another edit would have ultimately helpeReview forthcoming on TikTok! Beautifully written and moves surprisingly quickly for such a big book. I think another edit would have ultimately helped- I don't know if we needed in depth, 20 page backstories for every single character introduced, but a great book for those who want to get lost in a world of magic and metaphor....more
Absolutely loved this historical novel about the abolition movement in 1830s Philadelphia and the women who participated: the stories of the Black uppAbsolutely loved this historical novel about the abolition movement in 1830s Philadelphia and the women who participated: the stories of the Black upper-class pre the Civil War are so few and far between, and I've never read anything about people who actually escaped slavery.
Lattimore did an amazing job of illustrating the humanity of the formerly enslaved population of Philly and teaching the reader without being didactic and through truly memorable and distinct characters. A must read for anyone who likes historical fiction!...more
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