Author: Kit

Categories
Blog Fiction

Ariadne

written by Jennifer Saint, Book 33, 2021

Clever and passionate women who scrubbed floors and tended fires, and wove cloth, and pounded soiled linen on the banks of the rivers while men played dice in the squares and talked at length of philosophy drinking wine in the afternoon sun and arranging the world to suit themselves. These women took to the wide blue sea in their rickety vessels searching for something better which they had heard they would find with us.

Jennifer Saint, Ariadne

I could not put this book down. What little I knew of Ariadne, I learned from a middle school mythology unit and the novel Circe by Madeline Miller. I knew next to nothing of Circe’s sister Phaedra. From a quick google search, it seems like Jennifer Saint stayed fairly true to the understood paths. If you’re like me and you enjoy a retelling from a women’s perspective, you’ll love this. As much as I love when authors subvert the original story more, Saint’s version of the myths still felt complex and novel. The narration was also excellent and compelling.

Recommendations: Would highly recommend to any mythology fan, and especially those who enjoyed Circe and Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.

Content Warnings: Death, animal cruelty, abandonment, substance abuse, infanticide, bestiality

Thank you the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audiobook.

Categories
Blog Nonfiction

Rebel Ideas

written by Matthew Syed, Book 32 of 2021

Companies founded by immigrants grow faster and survive longer. Immigrants make disproportionate contributions to technology, patent production and to science.

Matthew Syed

I found this book to be successful in treading the line between academic and genuinely engaging. Syed makes compelling points about the inherit value of both diversity and structures that encourage all voices to be heard. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has a leadership role within an organization or creates and manages teams.

I have seen a lot of people comparing this book to “Range” by David Epstein and I would agree that there are many commonalities that lead this book to feel a bit redundant at times. Nonetheless, I did find this book engaging and I appreciated that the focus of this book was more about how the outsider mindset was valuable to groups and not just valuable within the individual.

Recommended for: Anyone who works on teams, especially those tasked with forming them and those who make decisions.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy of the audiobook.

Categories
Blog Nonfiction

When They Call You a Terrorist

written by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Book 5 of 2021

“What is the impact of not being valued? How do you measure the loss of what a human being does not receive?”

Patrisse Khan-Cullors

Wow. I’ve been trying to prioritize reading more books written by people of color and this was one I will recommend over and over. Patrisse Khan-Cullors tells her story in a deeply moving and personal narrative that covers her life from childhood up to her present day activism in a way that will inspire you to join her. It’s hard not to be moved by the way she makes the day to day criminalization of being black of the US very personal. There’s no time like the present to show up for people of color in this country. 

Recommended for: Anyone who’s wondered, what’s the deal with the Black Lives Matter movement or seems confused about what the movement is fighting for. Anyone interested in learning more about how policing and the experience of prison impacts people of color. 

Actions I will take in response to this book 

  • Support organizations led by and for black folks in my community 
  • Support decriminalization of offenses that are mostly enforced in communities of color.
  • Find out how I can support local organizations not just next month (Black history month, but into the future).

Content Warnings: Incarceration, Racism, Violence, Neglect, Torture, Hate Crimes

Categories
Fiction

Milk Blood Heat

written by Dantiel W. Moniz, Book 10 of 2021

“She was of that special age where she knew both nothing and everything, and no matter where or at whom she looked, she saw her own reflection glimmering back like a skim of oil. She could be anyone, still.”

Dantiel W. Moniz, Milk Blood Heat

Don’t let the sunny cover fool you, this short story collection is not for the faint of heart. The only consistent factor in each of these stories was violence, and it’s enacted in all sorts of different ways. Most of the stories center on women and girls and their own particular horrors. There’s a lot to dissect here and I’m sure this collection will provide an extensive opportunity for examination for those who choose to dive deeper. Moniz is an undeniably talented writer and surely one to watch.

If anything, I think my only complaint about this is that I began to feel a little desensitized and apathetic after reading these stories in succession. Nonetheless, the stories were all compelling and engaging (in their own sad and anxiety inducing way). 

I’m rating this book 3 stars instead of 4 only because I listened to it as an audiobook and the narration fell a bit flat for me (potentially contributing to the apathy described above). 

Recommended for: Lovers of dark and twisty things 

Actions I will take in response to this book:

  • Try to be more empathetic to strangers. This book highlighted all the ways people are scarred and damaged. 

Content Warnings: There’s a little of everything in here so if you’re triggered by violence, death, drugs, cancer, or really anything.. this might not be the right pick for you. 

Categories
Blog Fiction

Land of Big Numbers

by Te-Ping Chen, Book 9, 2021

“He’d seen the village transform itself over a lifetime, just as he, too, was going to transform himself with an invention the likes of which his neighbors had never seen.”

Te-Ping Chen, Land of Big Numbers

This collection, Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen was fantastic. It tells several unrelated stories of several Chinese people, and/or in a few cases is set in China. The styles and themes as widely as one might expect from such an expansive topic and I’d imagine most people would find at least a few of these stories entertaining. My two favorites were “New Fruit” and “Gubeiko Spirit”. I’m a big fan of anything with magical realism and I was pleasantly surprised by the stories that integrated a dash of the unreal. As a bonus: I learned a lot about contemporary Chinese culture (I’m embarrassed to know so little).

Recommended for: Any adult or older teenager, this collection is very readable and thought provoking. Could make a great choice for a book club.

Actions I will take in response to this book 

  • Learn more about China in general, these stories really peaked my curiosity
  • Give more short stories a chance


Content Warnings: Incarceration, Death, Violence, Suicide

Categories
Fiction

The Office of Historical Corrections

by Danielle Evans, Book 3 of 2021

“Midwest nice was a steady, polite gaslighting I found sinister, a forced humility that prevented anyone from speaking up when they’d been diminished or disrespected, lest they be labeled an outsider.

Danielle Evans, The Office of Historical Corrections

It hurt to read these stories. And NOT because they were bad, but because they were so good. Danielle Evans is a deeply talented writer crafting thoughtful expressions of American life and race relations with just a few short stories. As a white woman, I found myself responding somewhere between cringing and crying throughout these stories. My favorites were “Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain”, “Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want?”, and “Anything Could Disappear”. I’d recommend this collection to nearly anyone and I’m looking forward to reading what Evans writes in the future. 

Recommended for: Anyone. Just read these. Note: Audiobook lovers, each story has a different narrator and they are all excellent. 

Actions I will take in response to this book: 

  • Reconsider the way “midwest nice” impacts people who don’t fit in with the cultural norms and instead work for meaningful dialogue about differences.
  • Read more short story collections. 

Content Warnings: Violence, Death, Abduction, Racism, Hate Crime

Categories
Blog Fiction

The Divines

written by Ellie Eaton, Book 8 of 2021

“What am I supposed to tell him? That since becoming a mother I exist in a state of perpetual unease? That the world seems to me overwhelmingly dangerous and chaotic. How of all the multitudinous threats posed to him and the baby: earthquakes, rising sea levels, drunk drivers, melanomas, pandemics, zealots with semi automatics. It’s something else I’m most afraid of; the past slowly coiling around us, the snake in the crib.”

Ellie Eaton, The Divines

This book is unsettling, eerie, and deeply compelling. The story in The Divines is told by a woman named Josephine in alternating narratives. Some chapters are told from Jo’s perspective as a teenager at a failing all girls boarding school in the 90’s, and others as Sephine in her adult years as she struggles with marriage and motherhood. Listening to this story brought me back painfully to the sensitive years of teenagehood when everything feels so much more visceral than it does as an adult. It raises questions about how one sees oneself versus how one is seen and how we are all unreliable narrators in our own memory. Ellie Eaton is able to distill some of the common experiences of teenage girls and highlight how the disastrous effects of the self focused narrative can unravel themselves into adulthood.

I’d highly recommend reading this as an audiobook! Imogen Church is a wonderful narrator for this dark and dramatic story. As an American, the distinction between accents and tone was striking to listen to and added so much depth to the story that I otherwise would have totally missed. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Audio for providing early access to The Divines! 

Recommended for: Drama and Suspense Lovers, people who enjoy great narration. 

Actions I will take in response to this book:

  • Consider the impact my childhood friendships and relationships have on my present self
  • Reminisce on the feelings of being a teenager and empathize with teens in my life

Content Warnings (may contain spoilers): Bullying, Adolescent Trauma, Drugs, Sexuality, Body Image Issues, Substance Abuse 

Categories
Uncategorized

Fishing for Birds

by Linda Quennec, Book 7 of 2021

“The only literature worth reading is the kind that comes close to killing you a bit at a time. The kind that tells the truth. Life is a marriage of pain and happiness together they make joy, if you can see it.”

Linda Quennec, Fishing for Birds

I wholeheartedly agree with the quote above and found that in most ways this novel fits the description. Each of the three narrators provide insight into both universal pains felt by all people and the specific pains each woman feels at different phases of life in a way that made me question how I see my own life and the roles others play in it. I would highly recommend this book and don’t want to spoil it for anyone. 

P.S. I want to be Ivy when I grow up

Other thoughts about this book:

Things I love: Everything listed above and… that the book took place only on islands and the unique challenges and supports of being enclosed in a community. I loved the Canadian accent of the narrator and northern culture that was highlighted, it felt familiar and authentic to me (living in Northeast Wisconsin). I loved the historical and natural details and research that went into the writing. 

A few things I didn’t love: Some of the chapters felt a bit unnecessary to me. Though the prose was enjoyable and I enjoyed the description of island life.

Recommended for: Pretty much and person who identifies as a woman. It was an engaging and accessible read that I feel like would speak to different women in different ways at different points in life. Would make a great book club read! 

Content Warnings (may contain spoilers): Adoption, Death of a Spouse, Death, Familial Conflict

Categories
Uncategorized

The Rib King

written by Ladee Hubbard, Book 5 of 2021

“All of this requires effort on my part. This effort is called work. And when I work I expect to be paid. Paid? That’s right. Cash.”

Jennie – The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard. 

This book was not at all what I expected in the best way. I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction from African American perspectives but this was a truly unique story. It centers on Mr. Sitwell, a groundskeeper for a wealthy white family who over the course of the first half of the novel, rediscovers some unsettling memories from his past that lead to some unsettling repercussions.

I found myself unable to unplug from the story, needing to find out where the characters would end up. I enjoyed the split structure of the novel. The first and second half are told by two different narrators separated by several years. My one complaint about this was that it felt like it left some key questions unanswered. I’ve seen some reviews compare it to the Academy Award winning film Parasite and I do see some interesting parallels that could make for a great book club discussion. Honestly, I could see a lot of ways this book would make a great book club choice. I’ll be thinking about this one for awhile… 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an early copy of this audiobook in return for my honest feedback. 

Recommended for: Anyone wanting a new take on historical racial injustice and its intersection with capitalism. Anyone interested in considering the role our biological and chosen families play in our lives and what we owe each other. 

Actions I will take in response to this book:

  • Constantly monitor how the legacy of white supremacy continues to this day and interrupt its modern manifestations. 
  • Pay black women for their work and support black owned businesses.

Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Violence, Death, Race Violence 

Categories
Uncategorized

What Would Frida Do?

written by Arianna Davis, Book 4, 2021

“Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.”

Frida Kahlo

I have been a Frida Kahlo fan for a long time. My interest in her began in high school when I studied her life and work in both art and Spanish courses. She’s always been a trailblazer that I’ve loved for her unapologetic authenticity.

Thoughts about on book:

Things I love: This book has tons of lesser known stories and excerpts from her personal correspondence. In some ways my appreciation for Frida grew after reading this and in other ways this brought her back down to earth from the pillar she’s been placed on. This book provides a lovely perspective on how to truly live during difficult times. The cover! I know it’s superficial but the cover is joyful and just makes me happy. 

A few things I didn’t love: I enjoyed the lighthearted biographical nature of this book but I do think others may be disappointed that it’s less of a guide than the title would hint at. Many of the stories and historical facts are repeated multiple times and become annoying with each retelling.

Note: This is my first ARC (advanced reading copy) thank you very much to the publisher for sharing the audiobook with me in exchange for my unbiased opinion. 

Recommended for: Anyone feeling limited by their personal circumstances (illness, heartbreak, etc.). Frida Kahlo was an exceptionally resilient woman and could be a source of inspiration for anyone going through challenging times. 

Actions I will take in response to this book:

  • Continue to reaffirm the contradictory and complex nature of all people. 
  • Foster my own creativity and authenticity. 
  • Celebrate my health and appreciate it! 

Content Warnings: Alcoholism, Abuse, Infidelity, Illness, Vehicle Accident, Depression, Abortion