Short and Sweet
Currently reading:
Hazardous Spirits by Anbara Salam
Books finished this week: 2
★★★☆☆
Where this book came from: purchased at the Strand during a work “field trip”
Why this book: the premise, full stop
Thoughts: As I mentioned in last week’s missive, this book caught my eye because of the premise. A clone has to solve her own murder——excellent! At the start of the book, our protagonist, Lou, already knows who killed her . . . or does she? (That isn’t a spoiler, it’s literally the plot, even if it is laid out pretty late in the book.) I was still excited by the premise throughout and I enjoyed the language. The two reasons this is only a three-star read for me can be summed up as character voice and the finale. On the topic of characters, a lot of them sounded exactly the same to me—the same patter, the same dry humor that they clearly think is both hilarious and brilliant. It honestly got to be exhausting as I got deeper into the story. Regarding the finale, *slight spoiler* there is a twist, which felt very silly and also fairly predictable. There were other plot points I felt could have been woven together better to make a more interesting denouement, but unfortunately, we got the very rushed version. *end of slight spoiler* Overall, a good read for fans of true crime, especially if you’re open to having your mind changed on that front.
★★★☆☆
Where this book came from: purchased from Bookoff a few months ago
Why this book: I admit that I didn’t totally know what the book was about, but I remembered seeing the cover everywhere and it felt like an Important-with-a-capital-I book that I had to read
Thoughts: This is definitely an Important-with-a-capital-I book. That said, the author was a teenager when she wrote it, and though anyone at any age can and should do whatever they want creatively, and though Mottley’s writing is sometimes lyrical and heartbreaking and beautiful, I think she could have used a bit more guidance in creating the final product. Repetition of metaphors and phrases made the plot drag without telling us anything more about the characters. If you do decide to read this book, a massive trigger warning for sexual assault and rape.
Library updates:
My new courses went live online this week, which I guess means I’m still in grad school and fall is here. It even felt a little like fall this week, weather-wise, for which I am very grateful. I’m looking forward to cooler temperatures, less humidity, and a fresh start.
Have I talked about the pigeons that build a nest on my balcony yet? If I somehow haven’t, that’s a thing that happened. I noticed the clump of dried leaves in the far corner a few weeks ago, and one day when I startled Mama Pigeon away, I noticed she had laid two little eggs. The babies hatched maybe two weeks ago, and they’re already cheepy, loud little adolescents. I love them with all my heart, but also I want to be able to sit on my balcony again without feeling like I’m interrupting family time, so I can’t wait for them to learn how to fly.
I had therapy on Monday. Had a delicious meal on Tuesday. Won bar trivia on Wednesday, my crowning achievement. Went on a pedal boat with my parents on Saturday.
And that’s that for the week. It’s a holiday weekend, so I’m taking it easy. You should, too!
Closing thoughts:
Take a moment to plan, to prepare, to reset, as we move into a new season. Buy a(nother) new notebook, jot down your schedule, make a to-do list, and enjoy a cool night and a quiet mind as a result.
Total books read from the Moratorium Library: 46
(Total books added to the Library: 69) (haha nice)
Had to support Ripped Bodice. Welcome to the East Coast!!
