Skip to content

Search for:

Crook In A Book

Book Reviews & Literary News by Jordan Crook

Welcome.
Book Reviews.
Lit Blog.
About Me.
Social.
Shop.

Shop

Share this:

Tweet
Share on Tumblr
Email

@crookinabook

I loved The Dutch House by Ann Patchett for so many reasons. Patchett’s writing is both effortless and elegant, and her characters are convincing and authentic.

All I can say is: we have work to do.

It’s been a while since I posted, mainly because this one took me a really, really long time to finish because I just couldn’t get into it. And you might be wondering ‘then why finish it?’ and the reason is because I have a lot of thoughts about WHY I didn’t like it.

After finishing Apeirogon, I was looking for an easy-to-read page-turner. “The Song of Achilles” fit the bill. I had high hopes for this one, after reading “Circe”, and Madeline Miller did not disappoint. The story of the Trojan War has long since been a favorite of mine, yet even knowing what would happen, I couldn’t put this one down. Miller has a knack for character development, and she brings the heroes, gods, and foes of classic Greek literature to life for the modern reader. Can’t wait to see what she does next.

It’s been a while since I posted, and that’s partly because my reading life has slowed down a bit (summer…kids…), but partly because this stunning work by Colum McCann is both long and dense. It took me a long time to work through, but it was worth the time investment.

It’s official, I’m a huge fan of Emily St. John Mandel. I’m not usually a big sci-fi reader, but after Station Eleven, I knew I had to give this one a try. So glad I did. This is a futuristic sci-fi novel that spans centuries. The pieces of the story come together like a puzzle at the end (always my favorite thing). Mandel’s vision of the future is exciting (even though it’s filled with pandemics…yuck) and sometimes even inspiring. Highly recommend this one.

This was a short and charming read, with a lot of good reminders about being present in the moment. But more than anything else, it made me want to read all the classic Winnie the Pooh books, and when I do, now I know I will see the wisdom behind Pooh’s way of thinking and being.

Well things have been a little hectic so my reading has slowed down quite a bit, but I finally finished had “Trust Exercise “ by Susan Choi.

A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa caught me from the first pages. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve loved an opening chapter so much in a long time. From there, Ghríofa tells two stories in this woven narrative—the story of her own experience with motherhood, and the story of Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill, an Irish poet and mother of the late 1700s. Ghríofa’s writing is exquisite and I found her own narrative to be especially captivating, and I think some the recurrent themes and images from the book will stay with me for a long time. I have to admit that I found myself somewhat less drawn to the story of Eibhlín’s story, but I was intrigued by Ghríofa’s obsession with uncovering it. As Ghríofa says “this is a female text” and her treatment of women, mothers, bodies, and voice is especially relevant in our present moment.

It’s been a busy, rainy, gray week for us here in Seattle and “Things My Son Needs to Know About the World” was exactly the kind of quick and light-hearted read I needed for my evenings. And no, I don’t have a son (an no there is not one on the way), but I heard from a good source (thanks @thirtyish_ ) that I didn’t need a son to love this book. She was right—I think any new parent would find this charming, insightful, and relevant.

I don’t read tons of nonfiction, but in light of an upcoming trip to Galveston, I grabbed Erik Larson’s national bestseller “Isaac’s Storm”, which details the progression of the deadliest hurricane in history. This was my first time — but DEFINITELY not my last — reading Erik Larson, and now I finally understand what all the hype is about.

Too many good options in my TBR pile… wish I was getting to it a little faster but it’s Spring 🌸 🪴 🌱 🌺… so I’m spending a lot more time outside, and a little less with my 📚.

Thanks again to @tin_house for this ARC of The Year of the Horses by @cbmaum. I appreciated the introspection Baum offers in this memoir as she considers her own way of relating to her daughter, husband, work, and body, as well as her personal healing journey (ignited by her revived connection with horses). However I will say that, even though I have several points of connection to this memoir (e.g. also a new and working mom), I struggled to really relate emotionally to the experiences in the narrative. But if you’re someone with a deep connection to horses, or someone seeking to examine challenges in your own parenting, marriage, or relationships, this could be a great memoir for you.

Last but not least, the fourth of Marilynne Robinson’s four novels in Gilead: Jack. As in the previous three, Robinson’s writing is striking and her characters feel genuine and memorable. Like “Lila”, “Jack” is mostly focused on backstory, and doesn’t touch on the narrative that unfolded in “Gilead” or “Home”. For me this was a little disappointing, because I would have really enjoyed seeing the same story from a third (or even fourth) point of view, but overall I still really enjoyed this last installment in the series.

Book 3 of 4 by Marilynne Robinson finished, and “Lila” was both like and unlike the others. Unlike Home or Gilead, this novel focus a lot more on backstory and less on the present day, but like always, Robinson explores some really powerful themes, including peace, stillness, love, hope, family. There were a few really painful scenes in this one, but overall the story left me feeling optimistic and uplifted.

Well, I think I could drink tea from this gorgeous @soundceramics mug and read Marilynne Robinson forever. “Home” was my second of Robinson’s four novels based in the fictional town of Gilead, and it definitely lived up to the standards set by the first.

Well it’s been a few weeks of snow and rain here in the Northwest—the perfect time to curl up with a good book and warm beverages in my @soundceramics mug. Most recently I finished Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson, and I really loved it. Written as a letter from an elderly pastor to his young son, this novel slowly reveals one man’s struggle to find peace with others and himself at the end of his life. This is a slow, beautifully written novel filled with forgiveness, humility, love, and hope. With everything going on in the world right now, I was so grateful for the tranquility this book offered and I’m eager to dive into the next of Robinson’s novels, Home.

Excited for the next few books on my list—all by Marilynne Robinson, all set in the same imaginary town of Gilead. I’ve heard a lot of good things and can’t wait to dive in.

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Follow Following
- Crook In A Book
- Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.