Adding fiction to my reading list means I’ve been getting through more books lately. (It probably doesn’t hurt that I’ve all but quit Instagram. How else am I supposed to fill the void?) This month was more balanced, split evenly between non-fiction and fiction. And once again, I’ve got reviews. (Or at least a few notes.)
First up, the non-fiction!
Paved Paradise – My friend laughed at me when I made a beeline for this one at Books are Magic in Brooklyn the other week, but the truth is, I’ve been waiting to read it for over a year. I’d seen some reviews and found it intriguing (especially because I used to be involved in cycling and pedestrian advocacy) but waited because it didn’t match my current reading focuses. Then, I decided to wait until it came out in paperback and then I made myself wait until I found it in a store. Hence, the beeline.
And let me say, it was worth the wait. I know it’s strange for a book on parking (ok, it’s really a book on urban planning) to be this good, but damn, it is! It’s funny and interesting and will change the way you look at the world around you. Every person should read it.
The Golden Thread – I wanted to like this book, because you know, textiles, but when you’ve read as many textiles surveys as I have, it’s hard not to make comparisons. There were some interesting nuggets in there, but the choice of topics felt disconnected and in some cases, really random. (There’s entire chapters devoted to swimsuits and spacesuits.) If you’re looking for textile surveys, I’d go with Sofi Thanhauser’s Worn or Virginia Postrel’s The Fabric of Civilization.
Thunderclap – This book, mostly about Dutch art, caught my eye when I first read a review online, but I wasn’t sure if I would be totally into it. Which is why I was excited to find it at my local library. There are parts where the writing is really beautiful, and there are some nice meditations on living with art, but I also found some of the history tedious. (As is often the case when I try and read books about Dutch art.)
Born a Crime – This was a re-read for me. I’d read it several years ago (before I started putting every book I read onto my blog) but it was our bookclub book this month. I love Trevor Noah, and there are so many wonderful stories in this book, though I did find the way the narrative jumps around in time frustrating at points.
Now on to the fiction!
Starling House – This was another library find, and one I really enjoyed. Apparently my theme for the month involved books where the house plays a key roll, though I’m only just recognizing that now. But I’m not mad about it, because the house in this book is so lovely and ties the story together so well.
Hell Bent – Of course I had to read this after finishing the first book, Ninth House, last month. I think I was more used to Bardugo’s writing style this time around, because I actually enjoyed the flashbacks and moments where the book jumped around, though I could do with a little less of the vampire stuff. (There were no vampires in the first book, so I wasn’t expecting one here!)
The Husbands – I’ve been curious about this book since I heard the author interviewed on a podcast. So when a friend offered to loan me her copy after she bought it for a book club, I jumped at the chance. (Sidebar: she accidentally bought the large print version, but it turns out that is great for trying to read on the treadmill!) The premise of the book is really interesting, but I’m not sure it was enough for a novel. The book gets repetitive at points, and I’m wondering if the concept would be stronger as short story.
All the Birds in the Sky – I’m trying to come up with the best way to describe this book, and all I can think to say is it was a little bit lovely and a little bit weird, in all the right ways. There were a few little elements that I wasn’t sold on and that didn’t fully seem necessary (the assassin and the riddle, if we’re being honest) but overall I really enjoyed this one.
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