Thendral's Take: September 2021
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Overall
This was an okay read for me. The writing was very blog post-ish and I felt like I was reading the journal entries of someone's life rather than a cohesive book. There were some instances where the writing was very self-righteous on what females and feminism should look like that put me off a bit and made me think, "Well what gives your opinion more validity than someone else's?" There were a few moments in there that were brilliant, but apart from those the writing and the whole story was just one straight line; the book started on a flat note and ends on a fairly flat note. The prologue also sets you up for "what would be the strangest year" of Nina's life, but honestly, it felt like any other year for any other person in a similar age group (dating challenges, caring for your parents, friendship struggles)
Also, considering Nina is 32 turning 33 in this book, I felt the writing was more for women in their late 20s - BUT this could be because the women I know and I are in fairly conservative cultures, while Nina's background is more of a white woman in a global city! For a book that primarily focuses on dating in your 30s, how friends' lives and friendship changes around you while you are single, and there were moments in there that might as well have been lifted from my personal life, it was surprisingly unrelatable for some reason. And it didn't make me introspect the way these themes often do (especially when they hit too close to home for comfort) or leave me with hope. I suppose you can check it out if you have some time on your hands but I wouldn't be quick to recommend this or ask you to add this to your "to-read" list!
Sunrise by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
My Thoughts
I found this book so beautiful. I loved its exploration of anxiety and how for people with mental health issues, the way the brain works feels simply ridiculous in contrast to a "normal" brain. I loved Marisa learning to get out of her own way in the book. Especially since it wasn't portrayed as Marisa had anxiety - Marisa overcame it. It was Marisa has anxiety - Marisa pushed herself to overcome it - Marisa slips - Marisa pushes herself again - Marisa has anxiety but learns how to cope with it. Spoiler alert, there's another death in the book and that hit me HARD. I had to stop because I was sobbing so much - I guess it stirred up too many personal fears but it was also cathartic in a really weird but good way.
I loved Marisa's Italian background which is basically more of a conservative background - her mum doesn't believe her mental health issue is real, her grandmother always has something to say, “Marisa is 29 already?? God when is she getting married??” You know, just your everyday collectivist culture issues.I don't know if it's because I'm always biased when it comes to Jenny Colgan but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This was a great pandemic read in the sense that there's some very real trauma in there that someone's trying to process, yet it's uplifting.
Overall
Apparently, Jenny Colgan set out to write a book that was based on lockdowns but didn't like it, scraped it and this was born instead. So I guess there was some intention to create a Covid-19 book somewhere in here and this is the kind of read I want for life as we know now. So yes, read it if anything I said sounds interesting to you!
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
My Thoughts
You guys!! This 👏🏽 book! 👏🏽 The setting, which is remarkably similar to Haunting Of Hill House (right down to the opening and everything) is SO well written!! And I don't know if it's the writing (or maybe I've attached myself so much to Haunting of Hill House), it was so easy for me to visualise this book as it moved along. And I absolutely love books like that - I do have an overactive imagination but sometimes some books have that atmospheric quality that makes you feel like you watched a six hour film. This was one of those.
The book takes its time to set things up, let the story unfold and then wrap it all up neatly and efficiently. A bulk of the twists and turns happens at the last 60 pages - and when I say twists I mean, enough to make my jaw drop and go out loud with things like "what the hell?????" and "WHOA WHAT????" There are so many clues strewn right from the start but as you go, another thing catches your attention. And then another. And then another. Soon you have this plethora of information that keeps you hooked without giving anything away until the end! And the way everything is tied up at the end is just *chef's kiss. This book was a real masterpiece. I absolutely enjoyed the mishmash of murder, thriller and supernatural genres.
I only have two qualms: 1. There are a few different fonts used in the book to switch narratives and I found it disorienting - wee heads-up for anyone else with a light sensitivity like me. 2. For a book with a female POV and as important as it was for the plot to have a female lead, the book read completely gender neutral!
Overall
If any of these intrigued you, you will absolutely enjoy this book: Haunting of Hill House/ Haunting of Bly Manor/ The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides/ Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton. Actually never mind that. You want to read a thriller? READ. THIS. End of story. This is the best thriller I've read so far for this year!
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
My Thoughts
I didn't really enjoy this. I felt meh when it ended. Actually, I was starting to feel a bit grossed out towards the ending because content warning: grooming, sex with minor(s). I was wondering if I didn't like it because I read this after Home Before Dark which was SO good or because I had high expectations for this author after The Silent Patient but after checking out some reviews as well, I realise it's just the book after all. The writing was okay, not as thrilling as silent patient. There are no claustrophobic feelings or the "OMG WHAT IS HAPPENING??" twists.
There were constant new character introductions to keep you questioning on who the suspect was but these characters were often unlikeable and would die pretty much in the next chapter. So it gave this feeling where things didn't just flow and made for a pretty choppy read. I couldn't connect with the main character either. And since she's a therapist there were some psych discussions that was... disappointingly pedestrian. I wasn't expecting anyone to be a psych expert but I feel these things really shouldn't read like my notes from my first semester in uni either? The only thing I liked about this book was the connection and reference to the author’s previous work, the silent patient.
Overall
I really hope the third time would be better with this author because this was just... sad and deeply disturbing - not even in a psych/ thriller way but in a omg this is revolting way. So, nope, I'm not really recommending this unless you HAVE to know what Alex Michaelides' next book is like.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
My Thoughts
The plot is simple and straightforward. But somehow, it has the "freshness" of the first Iron Man movie and Black Panther despite being yet another superhero movie. It's like they kept the plot easy enough to follow so the movie can excel on pretty much everything else. Which brings me to the action sequences: FANTASTIC! And the "bad guy" is one of the most well-developed bad guys in the MCU. Stunning cinematography. You have your standard funny moments and heartwarming moments that are basically a requirement for every MCU movie now, but this movie is still very unique because of the genres they have blended for this movie alone.
I don't want to give too much away, but just know magic is an element of MCU now - don't question it and just roll with it. And that the trailer didn't show you everything you need to know about the movie! A huge pro is that for the number of female actors, the male gaze was almost nonexistent which I truly appreciated. There was also no forced romance.
Overall
I had a GREAT time and this was a fantastic setup for Shang-Chi and Phase 4 of the MCU! I really want to watch this movie again damn it!! I feel like once wasn't enough to fully comprehend the whole movie!
*Subscribe to my monthly newsletter, "Thendral's Telegraph" here!*
