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In the end, we all go west: Reviewing One’s Company by Ashley Hutson

Hey everyone! I’m back, and I have a great review for all of you! As you know now, I love surreal and experimental literature. More importantly, I love “messy girl literature.” I was overdue for some unhinged women’s literature. Let’s step into the surreal and strange world of One’s Company.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Graphic Imagery, Implied Sexual Content, Discussions of Sexual Assault, Attempted Self-Harm, Grief and Mourning, Discussions and Depictions of Severe Mental Illness and Psychosis

Bonnie Lincoln has lived a difficult life. As a child, she lost both of her parents to unexpected tragedies. As an adult, she is the victim of a violent robbery that leaves her reeling from loss and trauma. Bonnie finds solace in the hit 1970s sitcom Three’s Company. The only thing she wants is to be left alone with her quiet obsessions. When Bonnie wins the lottery, she decides to take her love of the show to the next level. With her winnings, she buys an isolated mountain retreat and transforms it into the world of Three’s Company. Bonnie’s groovy little paradise is soon disrupted by her former best friend, and she finds herself fighting against the trauma that threatens her illusion.

Full disclaimer before I begin this review: I know nothing about Three’s Company, so I cannot provide any insight or commentary on that aspect of the story. With that being said, One’s Company was dark, chaotic, and utterly unique. It’s a novel that examines the dangers of isolation and the pitfalls of nostalgia. Having Bonnie as the narrator allowed for a deeper exploration of the complications that come with grief. Ashley Hutson balances between Bonnie’s delusions and the reality of her situation. Hutson emphasizes the issues that come with avoiding dealing with trauma and how certain coping mechanisms can be dangerous, even bordering on self-harm. The narrative, though, isn’t unsympathetic towards Bonnie’s struggles. Despite the chaos that happens throughout the novel, we have a relatable protagonist who simply wants someone to care about her struggles. One’s Company was a wild ride that I didn’t want to put down for even a second. Needless to say, I think you might enjoy this one too.

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The heart does not go backward. Only the mind: Reviewing The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you answered positively. If you didn’t , then I hope your day improves. I am currently drowning in books because of all of the summer library sales that are happening around where I live. There are a couple of “little libraries” in my neighborhood as well, so I like to check those from time to time for anything good. Unfortunately, I have no impulse control and will take home any book that looks remotely interesting to me. With that being said, don’t forget to support your local libraries and small bookshops. Anyways, you can check out my review of The Historian, also by Elizabeth Kostova. For now, we are talking about The Swan Thieves.

Robert Oliver, a reclusive and brilliant artist, is arrested for attempting to attack a famous painting with a knife. He is placed under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Marlow. Marlow is also a painter and wants to relate to his stubbornly silent patient. In an attempt to understand Robert Oliver, Marlow goes on a journey through his patient’s past. By doing so, Marlow finds himself enthralled in a tale of obsession, passion, and secrets. The key to all of this is through the love letters between a nineteenth century artist and her forbidden lover. Only through these can Marlow finally understand his patient and himself.

Where The Historian fell in to the category of “dark academia,” The Swan Thieves fits comfortably in “light academia.” Kostova’s prose is breezy, eloquent and uncomplicated. This style, though, does not simplify or demean the themes of the novel. It is a novel focused on the complexities of identity and love, all told with art history in mind. Kostova gives no clear answer to her characters’ motives, but paints a picture (pun intended) and leaves the reader to interpret what any of it truly means. This is all done, though, with no pretention or assumption. It is a presentation of the complicated lives of characters who feel so incredibly lifelike, even in a slightly idyllic fictional setting. Kostova is a ridiculously talented writer and I so wish she had more than two books out. With all of that being said, you should absolutely read The Swan Thieves and The Historian.

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Inevitably, with memory comes pain: Reviewing I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman, Translated by Ros Schwartz

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. The weather is beautiful where I live and I have some extended time off so I am going to finish off some novellas that have been sitting in my TBR pile for some time. I continue to pile on to my book pile because I am unable to excersize any self-control in a book store. I am also fully expecting to get a few more books for my birthday next month, but that is exactly what I want. Anway, this particuar novella has been making the rounds in recommended reading so it’s time for me to talk about I Who Have Never Known Men.

Content Warning: Some Disturbing Imagery, Grief and Mourning

For seemingly no reason, thirty-nine women have been locked in an underground prison. None of them can entirely remember how they got there or what their lives were before they were imprisoned. The fortieth prisoner, a young girl, is shunned by her fellow prisoners. One day, for seemingly no reason, the guards flee from the prison and the women are able to escape. They realize that the young girl is their key to survival and their only hope in the strange world that awaits them.

I can see this book becoming a staple in literature classes in the near future. I Who Have Never Known Men is a tense, existential novella that asks broad questions about humanity, civilization, and gender. It is also a story of survival, friendship, and perserverance. Harpman keeps the reasons behind the circumstances for this novel frustratingly ambiguous, but that is one of the more compelling elements of this novella. There is plenty to speculate about and theorize, but we are ultimately left with a fascinating mystery. I don’t want to say too much because this is a book worth experiencing for oneself. You should definitely consider picking up I Who Have Never Known Men for your summer reading pile.

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The amount of pain we can endure is spectacular: Reviewing Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Thank you so much for your likes for my last couple of posts. I love to see that you are all still enjoying my little hobby after all this time. It makes me happy. Don’t worry because I still have plenty of books to review. I’m also going to be starting a couple of series in the near future, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I like any of those. I have plenty of standalone books if that is something you are interested in. With that being said, let’s talk about Ripe.

Content Warning: Substance Abuse, Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery, Self-harm, Abortion, Emotional Abuse

After spending years at a prominent tech company in San Francisco, Cassie has had enough. She is exhausted, lonely, and frightened but does her best to mask her feelings. Cassie’s life takes a turn when she suspects she might be pregnant. On top of that, her boss asks her to take part in a sketchy plan to take down a rival company. With the pressure growing, Cassie must make a choice that will change her life forever.

I haven’t read any “messy girl literature” in a while and Ripe sits comfortably in that category. I do not label something as “messy girl literature” dismissively. Ripe uses a combination of magical realism and eloquent prose to highlight Cassie’s struggles that most peope relate to. Sarah Rose Etter tackles heavy topics like the endless and torturous cycle of capitalism, depression, emotional abuse from a parent, and substance abuse with brutal honesty and sympathy. The novel was just ambiguous enough and just specific enough to keep me locked in. It is uncomfortable to read at times but those uncomfortable truths are worth confronting. If you want something provocative and harsh, then Ripe is exactly the book for you.

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We suffer, heal, and proceed: Reviewing Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well! This is the third book by Ottessa Moshfegh I have reviewed. If you want, you can check my reviews for her other books, Lapvona and My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Needless to say, I am a bit of a fan now. I promise I have more “weird girl literature” to read by the end of the year. I’m planning on getting into my horror books so I will be prepared for spooky season. I think that’s enough rambling for now. Let’s talk about Death in Her Hands.

Content Warning: Grief and Mourning, Harm Towards Animals, Discussions of Death

Since her husband’s death, Vesta Ghul has spent her days hiking with her beloved dog. One day, she finds a note in the woods. It reads: “Her name was Magda. Nobody will ever know who killed her. It wasn’t me. Here is her dead body.” There is no dead body, though. Vesta becomes obsessed with this note, imagining who Magda might be and who could have killed her. Her morbid fantasies begin to bleed into her everyday life, and Vesta can no longer tell what is read or what she made up. During her search for the truth, Vesta must face the issues she has been hiding from since her husband’s death.

While this novel wasn’t as bizarre or gross as her other books, Ottessa Moshfegh still brings introspection and dark humor in Death in Her Hands. This book is written in a “stream of consciousness” style, which might not be for everyone. It does, however, benefit the reader as we get a better insight into Vesta’s situation as an elderly widow in an isolated town. I found myself drawn into Vesta’s imagination because, as someone with a vivid imagination that gets out of hand, I understood where she was coming from. It is a complicated and unreliable narrative, which I always enjoy. I like how Mosghfegh creates unreliable narrators because it adds a level of realism to the novel. Overall, Death in Her Hands was an interesting book and I am going to give it a soft recommendation.

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Posted on by bookreviews628

Our remedies oft in ourselves do die: Reviewing All’s Well by Mona Awad

Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well! January feels like a weird time of year for me. It is nothing that I can’t deal with, and I deal with my problems by reading instead. This is now the second book I have read by Mona Awad. You can check out my review of her other book, Bunny. You all know at this point that I love “weird girl literature” so, of course, I had to check out this book. I am currently reading another book by Ottessa Mosfegh. That review will be out soon-ish. Now, however, it is time to talk about All’s Well.

Content Warning: Some harsh language, Some sexual content, Some depictions of substance abuse, Brief discussion of self-harm

Miranda Fitch’s life has fallen apart. Her once-promising career as a stage actress and her marriage ended when Miranda was in a car accident. Now, she is dealing with debilitating chronic pain. The only thing she has to look forward to is her production of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Her cast of college students, however, band against her to perform Macbeth instead. Miranda feels her rock bottom sinking lower. That is, however, until she meets three mysterious benefactors who assure her that her show will go on and her pain will go away. Suddenly, everything begins to look up for Miranda but she begins to wonder if she will have to pay a price for her sudden success.

Mona Awad continues to deliver weird and layered narratives surrounding women’s issues in ways that I have never really seen before. As a fan of Shakespeare, I love Awad’s use of elements from Macbeth and All’s Well That Ends Well to enhance a story about a woman who just wants someone to believe in her. I particularly enjoy Awad’s ability to write strange, dream-like prose that you can still follow as you read it. Mona Awad’s writing is meant for speculation. It is interesting the way that the characters gaslight themselves and each other throughout the book. I found myself re-reading certain sections because of the way that the book makes you doubt yourself and that is truly a compliment. My only gripe with this book is that I wish we got to see more of the rehearsals because there was clearly a lot of weird stuff going on if you read between the lines. I kind of wish we could have seen that. Regardless, if you are looking for something on the surreal side with just a very slight touch of academia then I would certainly recommend All’s Well.

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There she is, a human being, diving into the unknown: Reviewing My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

Hi everyone! In case you couldn’t tell, I got a bit of reading done on my “holiday break.” The “BookTok” girlies suckered me into this book as it had been making the rounds as a favorite for a couple of months. Mostly, I was sold on it being “weird” and I just love a book with a bizarre plot or writing style, even if it is not a genre I normally read. Now, if you are so curious, let’s talk about My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

Content Warning: Discussions and Depictions of Drug Abuse, Discussions and Depictions of Alcohol Abuse, Discussions of Grief and Loss of a Loved One, Sexual Content, Offensive Language, Depictions and Discussions of Self-Harm

Our narrator seems to have it all; she’s young, pretty, rich, and educated. Everything is falling apart for her, though. She lost her parents, her Wall Street boyfriend has serious commitment issues, and her best friend is becoming co-dependent on her. She decides to take extreme measures to get her life back into place. Her solution: she is going to “hibernate” for a year. It’s the year 2000 and the perfect time for new beginnings.

I am going to be honest right away and say that I do think that this book was somewhat overhyped. Not to a ridiculous degree, but still. I did, however, really enjoy how Ottessa Moshfegh made a mostly stream-of-consciousness novel actually very entertaining. The narrator is certainly a walking disaster in the most entertaining way. Her character voice was rather crude at times, though, so that might not fly with a lot of people. I do appreciate how well-rounded the narrator was, though. She walked a thin line between irredeemable and sympathetic. I personally enjoy unreliable or unlikable narrators when they are well-crafted. Also, let’s be honest, hibernating for a year isn’t the worst idea ever. My Year of Rest and Relaxation was certainly a thought-provoking read and I’m going to say that you should definitely give it a try if you want something that is unique and character-focused. (PS: If you love “Fleabag,” then I almost guarantee that you’ll like this book.)