![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
2017 READING STATS
White/Non-White authors: 13 white authors, 11 non-white authors
Oldest: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)
Newest: Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (2017)
Longest: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (pp. 624)
Shortest: Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur (pp. 122)
THE QUESTIONS
Best book read in 2017?
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Essentially a classic in the YA genre, Sherman Alexie writes about the experiences of a kid named Arnold "Junior" Spirit growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation who makes the decision to attend the all white high school that's a few hours down the road. It's not an easy decision for Junior as he faces isolation and rejection both at this new school and at home on the rez. This was the first book I read in 2017, and while one or two books came close, none of them quite affected me like this one. I loved the very complicated relationships he had with his parents and his best friend. The book dealt with issues like cultural identity, poverty, alcoholism, and death all narrated from the very personal point of view of a young teenager trying to figure out the shitty hand that life dealt him. The writing, the characters, and the plot all hit the mark for me so easily the best book I read this year.
Worst book read in 2017?
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
I was intrigued to read this book because it was about black vampires. How many black vampires can you name? I thought the premise was interesting too since the darker skin tone was genetically advantageous for the vampires as it would allow them to face physical contact with sunlight. Additionally, I heard about Octavia E. Butler as one of the stand out women of color writers in the science fiction genre. I had to check her out. In hindsight, I probably should have known that I wasn't going to be interested in something like vampires. The biggest drawback for me was that there was so much focus on the world-building rather than the characters themselves. Learning about the genealogy about the vampire clans was cool, but not if I don't actually care about or understand any of the characters. Also, if i'm not into the story it makes the appearance of a VERY young looking protagonist in a romantic relationship with an adult man look sketchy as fuck. This was the last book that Butler wrote before her death, and I've read she liked writing it as it helped her get over the grimness from her other series. With that context, I can forgive the book a little and I'm not opposed to trying another of Butler's books.
Most disappointing book read in 2017?
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS BOOK DISAPPOINTED ME. This book had a premise that I wished I had come up with. You know those kids who went on magical adventures? Who found secret doors and pathways into other worlds? What happened to them after they came home? Well, according to this book, they went to a boarding school that was essentially a rehab to help them readjust to the real world. An absolutely wonderful premise with a competent writer to capture the different kinds of worlds and the kids that would have fallen into them. Yet the book is actually a novella which means that it is far too short to explore any of the characters. The protagonist Nancy could have been taken out and nothing would have changed; that's how little she actually contributed to the plot. The other ones? Well, I get to know the worlds they belong to, but I don't actually get to know them. The twins are such a bore. And the other two? Felt like they were meeting the diversity quota. Yup, that one's gonna be Asian and the other one is going to be a trans, brown kid. Apparently, McGuire has written sequels but I'm not interested in reading about a world that has so bitterly disappointed me.
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book?
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner
I mean it's technically a sequel, right? It's a continuation of the The Queen's Thief series WHICH I ADORE. I was so looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint! We got to see Costis again! And some small but no less wonderful cameos from Eugenides and Attolia. People wanna be disappointed that we didn't see more of those characters, but I loved getting to meet Kamet and see how his relationship with Costis develops. My only disappointment is wondering when they'll be another book.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of the year?
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Maybe it was the visual aspect of the graphic novel, but I found Marjane Satrapi's stories about childhood in Iran to be a quick and compelling read.
Most beautifully written book of the year?
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
A slice of life, coming of age story about two adolescent Hispanic boys as they deal with family, romance, and identity. Benjamin Alire Saenz got his start as a poet, and that talent shows off in his fiction. His writing is characterized by short, lyrical sentences that are crafted with the precise purpose of breaking your heart.
Book that put a smile on your face?
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I mean it is a book about teenage blackmail, but it still made me smile. I hope the film will do the same.
Book that made you cry?
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
Okay, so I didn't actually cry. But the brutality in this book surely broke my heart. Following the life of Jess Goldberg as she struggles with her gender and sexual identity, it describes a community of people who refuse to go away even as the world and everything else denies them the right to exist and to love who they want to love.
Favorite book cover?
None! Some I liked, some I didn't feel anything for, but nothing I absolutely I loved.
Most memorable character(s):
Breq (Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie)
As the narrator to Ancillary Justice, Breq's personality was key to whether or not I would care to read the rest of this series. I was intrigued by her understated emotions, her desire for vengeance and her grief over the loss of someone she cared about (even though she wasn't supposed to). Formerly part of the consciousness of a starship, her point of view is unique and I'm so interested in seeing where the series takes her.
Gauri (The Lowlands by Jhumpa Lahiri)
A complicated character. That's how she was presented to us in my Women Writers class and I've been thinking about her still, especially since I had to write a paper about her. A philosophy student, married to a rebel, then later to his brother, and ultimately abandoning her husband and daughter to live separately from them as a professor. Gauri gets a lot of hate and many readers don't like her. I don't know if I like her, and I can't justify her abandoning her family. Her daughter Bela is rightfully furious with her. But I think I can sympathize with her and I can understand the past events that have led her to make the choices she does.
Character everyone loves but you want to shove off a cliff:
Edward Rochester (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)
Everyone seems to think of Rochester as one of those handsome, Byronic heroes. Moody and cynical and rough but misunderstood and capable of a deep, abiding love. As though that sole positive justifies all the negatives that precede it. Please, Edward Rochester is an awful character and I thought this before I even read Wide Sargasso Sea. DOES NO ONE REMEMBER THAT HE LOCKED HIS WIFE IN THE ATTIC? Like he could have found a hospital for her, there was no reason to lock her away somewhere in the house. Jane deserved better. And I get why Charlotte Bronte had to have her married off in the end because there was no way she could have had a happy ending without getting married. And it helps somewhat that Jane has power over Rochester now because of her inheritance and because of his injuries from the fire. But, DAMN, Jane deserved better.
OTP of the year!
Costis/Kamet (Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner)
Nothing like a desert road trip to bond with your new bro. They are representative of in-universe fictional gods who are themselves representative of the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. So, yeah, tailor made for shipping purposes.
Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Junior & Rudy (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie)
It's interesting because they spend most of the book not being friends - or at least Rudy does. I love that throughout the entire book Junior never once questions their friendship, and not once does he ever get upset at Rudy because he knows exactly why his friend is angry and upset. Junior keeps trying to reach out to him and eventually by the book's end, they reconcile and it's beautiful.
Book that deserves a movie/TV series adaptation:
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
As much as I liked the book, I get a little bogged down by the scifi details of the setting, so it would be incredible to see it as a visual on screen. Also, to hear a series where everyone is referring to each other with she/her pronouns regardless of gender would be one heck of an experience.
Book you couldn't believe you waited until now to read?
I can't believe it took me as long as it did to read Sherman Alexie because it was a fantastic book that hit all of the emotional bullet points that make me love a book.
Any quotes you liked?
Books read in 2017
Number of books read: 24 (21 books, 2 plays, 1 graphic novel)
Number of rereads: 1
Most read genre: Probably coming of age
Male/Female authors: 3 male authors, 20 female authors, 1 genderfluid authorWhite/Non-White authors: 13 white authors, 11 non-white authors
Oldest: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)
Newest: Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (2017)
Longest: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (pp. 624)
Shortest: Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur (pp. 122)
THE QUESTIONS
Best book read in 2017?
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Essentially a classic in the YA genre, Sherman Alexie writes about the experiences of a kid named Arnold "Junior" Spirit growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation who makes the decision to attend the all white high school that's a few hours down the road. It's not an easy decision for Junior as he faces isolation and rejection both at this new school and at home on the rez. This was the first book I read in 2017, and while one or two books came close, none of them quite affected me like this one. I loved the very complicated relationships he had with his parents and his best friend. The book dealt with issues like cultural identity, poverty, alcoholism, and death all narrated from the very personal point of view of a young teenager trying to figure out the shitty hand that life dealt him. The writing, the characters, and the plot all hit the mark for me so easily the best book I read this year.
Worst book read in 2017?
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
I was intrigued to read this book because it was about black vampires. How many black vampires can you name? I thought the premise was interesting too since the darker skin tone was genetically advantageous for the vampires as it would allow them to face physical contact with sunlight. Additionally, I heard about Octavia E. Butler as one of the stand out women of color writers in the science fiction genre. I had to check her out. In hindsight, I probably should have known that I wasn't going to be interested in something like vampires. The biggest drawback for me was that there was so much focus on the world-building rather than the characters themselves. Learning about the genealogy about the vampire clans was cool, but not if I don't actually care about or understand any of the characters. Also, if i'm not into the story it makes the appearance of a VERY young looking protagonist in a romantic relationship with an adult man look sketchy as fuck. This was the last book that Butler wrote before her death, and I've read she liked writing it as it helped her get over the grimness from her other series. With that context, I can forgive the book a little and I'm not opposed to trying another of Butler's books.
Most disappointing book read in 2017?
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS BOOK DISAPPOINTED ME. This book had a premise that I wished I had come up with. You know those kids who went on magical adventures? Who found secret doors and pathways into other worlds? What happened to them after they came home? Well, according to this book, they went to a boarding school that was essentially a rehab to help them readjust to the real world. An absolutely wonderful premise with a competent writer to capture the different kinds of worlds and the kids that would have fallen into them. Yet the book is actually a novella which means that it is far too short to explore any of the characters. The protagonist Nancy could have been taken out and nothing would have changed; that's how little she actually contributed to the plot. The other ones? Well, I get to know the worlds they belong to, but I don't actually get to know them. The twins are such a bore. And the other two? Felt like they were meeting the diversity quota. Yup, that one's gonna be Asian and the other one is going to be a trans, brown kid. Apparently, McGuire has written sequels but I'm not interested in reading about a world that has so bitterly disappointed me.
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
This book surprised me in a good way. Given it was published in 1847, I thought it was going to give me similar feelings that Frankenstein did which would essentially be described as a miasma of loathing. However, Charlotte Bronte is an engaging writer who really knows how to tell a compelling story. I was familiar with the narrative because I had seen the 2011 film, but I didn't expect how distraught I'd be in reading about all the abuse 10 year old Jane had to go through. I can see why the book is lauded as a feminist story because you see Jane making active choices and sticking to her convictions. But times have changed and there's worth in reevaluating the book. Is Jane Eyre really challenging a patriarchal system? Can the book challenge an oppressive system when it neglects to mention another oppressive system like slavery and colonialism?
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner
I mean it's technically a sequel, right? It's a continuation of the The Queen's Thief series WHICH I ADORE. I was so looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint! We got to see Costis again! And some small but no less wonderful cameos from Eugenides and Attolia. People wanna be disappointed that we didn't see more of those characters, but I loved getting to meet Kamet and see how his relationship with Costis develops. My only disappointment is wondering when they'll be another book.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of the year?
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Maybe it was the visual aspect of the graphic novel, but I found Marjane Satrapi's stories about childhood in Iran to be a quick and compelling read.
Most beautifully written book of the year?
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
A slice of life, coming of age story about two adolescent Hispanic boys as they deal with family, romance, and identity. Benjamin Alire Saenz got his start as a poet, and that talent shows off in his fiction. His writing is characterized by short, lyrical sentences that are crafted with the precise purpose of breaking your heart.
Book that put a smile on your face?
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I mean it is a book about teenage blackmail, but it still made me smile. I hope the film will do the same.
Book that made you cry?
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
Okay, so I didn't actually cry. But the brutality in this book surely broke my heart. Following the life of Jess Goldberg as she struggles with her gender and sexual identity, it describes a community of people who refuse to go away even as the world and everything else denies them the right to exist and to love who they want to love.
Favorite book cover?
None! Some I liked, some I didn't feel anything for, but nothing I absolutely I loved.
Most memorable character(s):
Breq (Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie)
As the narrator to Ancillary Justice, Breq's personality was key to whether or not I would care to read the rest of this series. I was intrigued by her understated emotions, her desire for vengeance and her grief over the loss of someone she cared about (even though she wasn't supposed to). Formerly part of the consciousness of a starship, her point of view is unique and I'm so interested in seeing where the series takes her.
Gauri (The Lowlands by Jhumpa Lahiri)
A complicated character. That's how she was presented to us in my Women Writers class and I've been thinking about her still, especially since I had to write a paper about her. A philosophy student, married to a rebel, then later to his brother, and ultimately abandoning her husband and daughter to live separately from them as a professor. Gauri gets a lot of hate and many readers don't like her. I don't know if I like her, and I can't justify her abandoning her family. Her daughter Bela is rightfully furious with her. But I think I can sympathize with her and I can understand the past events that have led her to make the choices she does.
Character everyone loves but you want to shove off a cliff:
Edward Rochester (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)
Everyone seems to think of Rochester as one of those handsome, Byronic heroes. Moody and cynical and rough but misunderstood and capable of a deep, abiding love. As though that sole positive justifies all the negatives that precede it. Please, Edward Rochester is an awful character and I thought this before I even read Wide Sargasso Sea. DOES NO ONE REMEMBER THAT HE LOCKED HIS WIFE IN THE ATTIC? Like he could have found a hospital for her, there was no reason to lock her away somewhere in the house. Jane deserved better. And I get why Charlotte Bronte had to have her married off in the end because there was no way she could have had a happy ending without getting married. And it helps somewhat that Jane has power over Rochester now because of her inheritance and because of his injuries from the fire. But, DAMN, Jane deserved better.
OTP of the year!
Costis/Kamet (Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner)
Nothing like a desert road trip to bond with your new bro. They are representative of in-universe fictional gods who are themselves representative of the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. So, yeah, tailor made for shipping purposes.
Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Junior & Rudy (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie)
It's interesting because they spend most of the book not being friends - or at least Rudy does. I love that throughout the entire book Junior never once questions their friendship, and not once does he ever get upset at Rudy because he knows exactly why his friend is angry and upset. Junior keeps trying to reach out to him and eventually by the book's end, they reconcile and it's beautiful.
Book that deserves a movie/TV series adaptation:
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
As much as I liked the book, I get a little bogged down by the scifi details of the setting, so it would be incredible to see it as a visual on screen. Also, to hear a series where everyone is referring to each other with she/her pronouns regardless of gender would be one heck of an experience.
Book you couldn't believe you waited until now to read?
I can't believe it took me as long as it did to read Sherman Alexie because it was a fantastic book that hit all of the emotional bullet points that make me love a book.
Any quotes you liked?
Tags:
