The past month has included red (April) books and orange (May) books. A lot of disappointing reads, honestly, but a few good ones. Here's what I've been reading!
You Didn't Hear This from Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip by Kelsey McKinney: There were a lot of challenges I had with this book, but the biggest one was that McKinney lacks a central thesis. While I loved her a host of Normal Gossip, I think this is unfortunately a case of someone who had enough name recognition that the publisher was content to sell copies on that and didn't insist it be tightened up into what could have been a really great book.
Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig: I hated every single adult in this book. Even by the end there weren't really any good examples of how to interact with a traumatized, autistic teenager like Ginny; if the author was trying to only show worst-case scenarios, I'm not sure what they point of this was. The depiction of the foster care system made no sense (and not in the way the real one doesn't make sense sometimes). While I liked the unpredictability of the plot, I can't think of any reason to recommend this.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: This was a wild ride! There's a lot that I enjoyed about it, particularly the way that the book's structure (a compilation of chat/call transcripts, memos, analysis of surveillance footage, and so on) was brought to life via a full audiobook cast. I did eventually feel exhausted by the relentless near-death experiences, but I know many readers would love this for that reason!
Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993 by Sarah Schulman: This was a fascinating read for so many reasons. I loved the practical takeaways and learning about the complex tensions within this activist organization. I struggled a bit with the way Schulman structured this book and think it was longer than it needed to be, but I still took a lot away from this read.
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo: This was quite the twisty feminist revenge fantasy thriller! While I saw a couple of the twists coming, the one halfway through — which possibly should have been the most obvious, in retrospect — made my jaw literally drop. While the multiple murders and the terrorizing of women meant it wasn't a story I wanted to linger in, I am duly impressed by Fargo's writing skills and would recommend this to anyone who can stomach the too-real pieces.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See: This is one of those unfortunate books where the plot is built around the author's research rather than the other way around, so the seams show through — rather than following an engaging, coherent plot whose realism is bolstered by background research, we get a plot that zigs and zags from the cultural practices of the Akha people to the complex feelings of transracial adoptees to everything you could ever want to know about the tea industry. I think it would be great for a book club discussion, but it wasn't one I personally resonated with.
Circe by Madeline Miller: Madeline Miller is a great storyteller, and Perdita Weeks an excellent audiobook narrator, which made it easy to devour this story in less than a week. While this isn't a personal favorite of mine, I can see why so many have enjoyed it and I'm glad to have finally read it.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: You Know, Sex, Dracula, The Name of the Wind, More Than Two, Money for Couples, and Parable of the Talents
Five years ago I was reading: Abuelita Faith, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, Womanist Midrash, and Fun Home
Ten years ago I was reading: The Husband's Secret, The Fellowship of the Ring, Will I Ever Be Good Enough?, and The Name of God Is Mercy
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