ManBooker International Fiction Review: Fish Have No Feet by Kalman Stefansson

Fish Have No Feet by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ll always keep saying this: TRANSLATED FICTION is EVERYTHING! If at once, you write a book in a certain language, and someone wants to consider it for translation, then your book is pretty good. Sadly this isn’t always the case.
I’ll always say this: Fish Have No Feet is EVERTHING! I’m almost tempted to read the original to find if the translator captured every rhythm, every poetry, every music behind the original lines, letting no meaning, no beauty sink through the rigors of the language where the untranslated accumulate and are left ignored.
Fish Have No Feet is BEAUTIFUL. The voice of the narrator, who’s very much passive, makes this whole work literary. Trust me, I’ve read some books with passive narrators that aren’t worth recommending. But this Book! This book is likely to win the MANBOOKER!
The characters, Ari, who the book is focused on, his life, his family, all sing, all fly off the page, all ask questions that need to be asked in fiction, in life. The questions about family, love, happiness. At a point the writer zones out of the beautiful prose, posing the reader with a lot of questions we don’t have answers to. Questions that make us stare into the distance for a while before getting on with this book. All the characters, all the vignettes. It was enjoyable!
The setting contributed much to beauty of this novel. It’s not Iceland, it’s Keflavik, the darkest place on earth. The sea, the scenery, it all contributed to the masterpiece this was. And every minute, you’re not aware of your surroundings, every flip of the page you feel yourself transporting, sinking into the depths of this beautiful novel. Until a hand is waved at your face (which happened a lot to me!)
And the shocker at the end! When you find out what actually was our lead’s purpose returning to Iceland, Keflavik. How even the most reliable narrators can at once be unreliable.
Now, you need to read this book because I say so. I’ll tell you not to read it if it was shit, trust me.


View all my reviews

Review: The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman by Mindy Meija

PURCHASE/GOODREADS.

Imagine This: Your life’s a movie.

You’ve been playing so many roles you’re not sure who you are. There’s the you who is the good daughter, there’s another who’s the good friend, another who’s the good girlfriend and a student. Yes, a student who has the hots for the new English teacher.

The student, you find, is the only self that allows you to be who you really are. If there ever is a thing such as ‘who you really are’. You’re pursuing love finally, you’re fucking your teacher in an old barn in your small town eventually.

One night, he’d promise you the two of you will leave for New York. Then something unbecoming happens: the unbecoming of you. In which you’re stabbed in the heart and several times in the face.

You’ll never get to live your dreams, you’ll never get to be whoever you wanted to be. Your true self. Though now, all is not lost. Your dead self could help us solve the mystery of your life.

Who killed you?

My review.

Sometimes, you read all around that there’s this brilliant thriller, that’s original and suspenseful. But then you pick it up and you wish you hadn’t picked it up. Please, this book isn’t like that.

The storyline is original. The point of views are refreshing and intriguing. There’s Hattie Hoffman the lead character who’s twisted and manipulative, although she’s Amy Dunne with soul. There’s Peter, the teacher sleeping with Hattie. There’s Del, our lead investigator who has a creepy relationship with Hattie’s dad (you will have so many assumptions running through your head. I loved each and every one of them)

Well, why I think this is original:

1.      Ever read a thriller which is enacted around a Shakespearean play? You should love this thriller if you are literature fanatic(—which you are, that’s why you read)

2.      Del, our lead investigator is not a cliché. I have DNFed a lot of thrillers because the lead investigator’s point of view and even his character is so clichéd you want to cry. Like really cry. If you wanted crime fiction you might as well go get it.

3.      Yes, a lot of crime fiction takes advantage of the fact that they can only be plot-driven and read terribly. The writing of this one is fine, almost literary. So you won’t be DNFing this one because of its inexistent crappy writing.

Book Review: The Vegetarian by Han Kang

I was defended this book to some fellow bookstagrammers who described it as strange and weird as a book that rightly depicts mental disorder and for that reason needed to be strange and weird. This book spoke to me in so many ways, topics such as mental disorder are close to my heart. For this reason I am thrilled it won the Manbooker International Prize!

PURCHASE/GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

"I can't live like this. My head hearts." This book is heart-breaking. Well-written. I've found myself in so many emotional states as I read it. Anger. Sadness. Fury. Dejectedness. 😔 Imagine This: You go from vegetarian to not having sex with your husband, to being divorced, to being shoved food down your throat, to thinking you're a tree, to going insane. This book shows howb abuse from our childhood sticks with us and manifests itself in ways that could make us mental. Go read this book! #bookstagram #foodstagram #TheVegetarian

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Dec 18, 2016 at 5:22am PST

"Even though I've stopped wearing a bra, I can feel this lump all the time. No matter how deeply I inhale, it doesn't go away. | Yells and howls, threaded together layer upon layer, are enmeshed to form that lump. Because of meat. I ate too much meat. The lives of the animals I ate have all lodged there. Blood and flesh, all those butchered bodies are scattered in every nook and cranny, and though the physical remnants were excreted, their lives still stick stubbornly to my insides..." 😣 Disgusted. That's how I feel as I read this book. The husband's plight of dealing with a wife who won't eat meat. The wife's sordid dreams that make me want to vomit. Too much blood. Too much sick. Nothing to help it. 😷 Read pg50 and I wonder if my buddy-readers (@tackfiction and @sandwavesandbooks) occasionally felt the sick rising up their gullets. 😫 Cat, are you Almost done? I saw meat and turned it down. Beef, to be more specific which our lead character hates. The mum stared at me weirdly, then, "well more servings for the rest of us." She's not going to force it down my throat like it's happening with our lead and her father. Sadly, I must rather admit, sadly. Want some meat pushed down my mouth, my face slapped so I could spread apart my teeth (—which I assure you wouldn't be clenched!) But right now, I'm disgusted with meat. Must finish soon! 😔 #bookstagram #bibliophile #foodporn #bookporn #rice #african #TheVegetarian #vegan #diet #GHANA #accra #foodie

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Dec 7, 2016 at 7:23am PST

Might never lead a healthy life! But don't crucify me, this is what I feel like making my #foodporn tonight! 😜 Anyway @sandwavesandbooks and @tackfiction and I are reading #TheVegetarian together and sharing our thoughts on it. The two are way ahead because I'm supposed to be the worst buddy-reader balancing schooling (#PurpleHibiscus) with fun! 😞 So 25pgs and I believe I should have read this earlier! Loving the writing! I had thought it would be written from the wife's POV, as she's who the blurb is about. OMG moment right from the start. Not far into the story, but feel the scandal a mile ahead. There's a reason it beat LaDivine(—another good read!) to the Manbooker. Would continue tomorrow! 😁 #bookstagram #manbooker2016 #currentread #supper #malereader #menwhoread

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Dec 6, 2016 at 1:57pm PST

Book Review: Good As Gone by Amy Gentry

PURCHASE~GOODREADS

This year, I've read and dropped and didn't finish a lot of thrillers. I was scared the same would happen with Good As Gone, but then I read the first page, and I knew this was one thriller I'd be finishing in a long while. You have my review:

This book was one hell of a good one! I loved it entirely! From start to finish! The kind of book that when done you just have to read the author’s acknowledgement note to get more of a glimpse of her than her bio allows. 😉 Amy Gentry writes well! This year I’ve started and stopped, started and not finished a lot of thrillers, because they weren’t well-written. I mean, if you want to keep me glued to my seat holding your book whilst ignoring a splitting backache, your book has got to be literary and well-written! Suspenseful! Original story-telling! 😉 Imagine This: Your daughter gets kidnapped, according to the version of events of your youngest daughter who must have stayed hidden in the closet and screamed three hours later after the shock wore off. Though with help of the media, the cops, the posters you put around, the fake callers who tell they might just have spotted an exact girl being clubbed somewhere, the search is getting nowhere. Now, years later, you have got to keep on living. Even though your life has become this unfeeling void. Now that you’re done with hope you’ve got to reclaim the pieces of what is left of your family: a daughter who changes her hair colour than she does her underwear, a husband whose hoping you’re beginning to find cloying and irritating. Then one day, YOUR DAUGHTER APPEARS. You’re happy and relieved. But there’s this nagging thought that her eyes are a shade darker than the original. Who’s this girl and what does she want with your family?😄 #Goodasgone #amygentry #bookstagram #malemodel #bookporn #bibliophile #menwhoread #African #KNUST #thrillers #goodmorning #blackman

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Nov 14, 2016 at 2:55am PST

Book Review: Lily and The Octopus by Steven Rowley

Purchase~Goodreads

Well, this was a walk through an unusual genre for me. And I wasn't disappointed. It was good. It was a fun ride. It was harrowing. I liked it! Here's my review on instagram:

Well, they weren't lying. They weren't hyping it so much for nothing. This book is good. A tumurous dog. A protagonist who's afraid of losing his best friend. General fiction with elements of fantasy thrown in. Great read! I emotionally connected with both characters (albeit not on a very strong level). I loved it. But I still wanted more. I kind of got really in during pg 200, I frankly didn't enjoy the sessions with his therapist Jenny. I felt it (those scenes with the therapist) were factored in upon someone's important (editorial) advice. They didn't merge uniformly with the rest. Still, you NEED TO READ THIS BOOK! 😀 Oh, and the background! It's actually a nice print I saw my roommate wearing and stopped him to take this picture before he was out the door! It's called #Dashiki #lilyandtheoctopus #bookstagram #bookporn #dashiki #fiction #funny #dying #pets #dogs #africanfashion.

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Oct 30, 2016 at 5:02am PDT

Book Review: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Joanna Bolouri

Purchase/Goodreads

Joanna Bolouri is always on my must-read list! I read her debut, The List, last two years, and I've been promoting her as the funniest Chick-lit author on the block. She cracks me up! Her leads are hilarious! Her characters so easy-to-fall-in-love with even when they are cocky as hell.

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year was no different! But I did wish, it was as better than her previous, I Followed The Rules. Either way, it's a go-buy-go-buy!

"Maybe not. Look, if he loves you, he'll put up with your family. Between you and me, I cannot stand John's mother, but I only have to see her once or twice a year and, well, she'll be dead one day. Anyway, he's my boyfriend—it's not such a huge sacrifice." 😂 Imagine This: Your boyfriend decides to bail on you on seeing the family for Christmas—due to a shocking reason for which you really hate him now. He's garbage. He's an asshat. You deserve better. 😂 Your family wants you over for Christmas with your man, and you can't stand their pitiful, condescending looks and the jokes they might have at your expense when they are stoned (—because your family is nuts). Your neighbor. He's good on the eye. You hate him for his louder parties and his even louder sex. But, really your cuckoo mother, your bugging little sister, your brother's bad table manners and his girlfriend, might be too much even for a fake boyfriend.  Have a merry Christmas as you encounter the biggest, bestest Christmas holiday with your fake boyfriend and your wacko family. All the while, your boyfriend who your fake boyfriend is impersonating is lurking in the shadows, waiting to attack. 😂 #bookstagram #bookporn #malemodel #themostwonderfultimeoftheyear #hilarious #bibliophile #menwhoread

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Nov 5, 2016 at 4:10am PDT

Book Review: Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Theine

PURCHASE~GOODREADS

Loved this books so! So worthy to be on the Manbooker shortlist. Here are my thoughts on it!

Great read! Took me a week to read it because, well, School, and it didn't feel like a book you needed to finish in a sitting. It's slow plot documents the happenings in both present and past. Showing the effects of communism in China from the past to the present. While I loved Madeline Theine's writing style (very literary!), and loved her characters (though it's written in English you could still feel the peculiarities of Chinese culture in the language used and in the mannerisms and words spoken by the characters), and the documentation of the horrors lived through that dark time in China's past (very fast-forward scenes but still you could feel the pains in the evocative writing), I found it hard relating to this. Because a) I have no background in music and b) I'll be biased because The Sellout is a novel that portrays, describes my being and existence. 😔 I feel sad for the judges who are on this panel. While I don't want all the other three books I haven't read to win, I'm bloody frightened this novel may take it! Bloody frightened. But we'll see. 😥 Anyway, do eat something this morning. I pushed my Brunch to earlier this morning. 😎 #MadeleineTheine #DoNotSayWeHaveNothing #Bookstagram #Foodstagram #bookporn #foodporn #manbookerprize2016 #African

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Oct 24, 2016 at 1:46am PDT

BookReview: The Secrets Of Happiness by Lucy Diamond

GOODREADS/ PURCHASE

The Secrets of Happiness by Lucy Diamond was an absolute treat, raised me out of my reading slump tomb. I urge you all to go, read it!

I had been having the worst reading slump ever! (@reads.crime knew). Then this book pulled me out of it! Funny, charming, heart-warming. A sister disappears. Her step (and obviously not close enough) steps in to look after her children and find out why the hell her sister's perfect life has crumbled to a husband who's left her, a job that's given her the sack, and strangers calling her for Irish stew concerning fliers she handed out. Lucy Diamond is one author who'd never dry up with beautiful storylines. My fifth book of hers (—she's written more!) and I still won't stop reading her anytime soon (even though women's fic has been playing fiddle to my thirst for literary works these days!). The characters were engaging! The plot was going! The perfect read to Yank me out of my reading slump. I do hope you guys give it a try! #bookstagram #bibliophile #thesecretsofhappiness #lucydiamond #funny #women #fiction #bookporn #malemodel #fashion #night #goodmorning #black #blue #menfashion #model

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Oct 19, 2016 at 11:33pm PDT

Book Review: The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen

GOODREADS~PURCHASE

I did enjoy this book so, so much! I'm highly recommending it for lovers of anything geriatric (hopefully, the term is not as demeaning and there are a lot of young at heart fans out there!). Check out my review on instagram:

"Another year and I still don't like old people. Me? I am eighty-three years old." 😀 Haha! The quote above! This book is just so quotable! It's funny! It's all kinds of humorous! I have never read something funny like this in a while. It documents the life of Hendrik Groen, his diaries, full of heart, full of charm, and an expose of what goes on inside the walls of an old people's home! Hendrik's almost ninety and he's not mastered the art of cantankerousness, unlike all his contemporaries! There's Evert, the friend behind the goldfish murders, Eejfe the nicer old Lady our main character has a crush on (—Yes, stand the risk of your parents falling in love when you've locked them up!), Mrs Stewalgen the director whose known to abuse the seniors in the home (—you'll find lots of startling statistics on bullying seniors at  homes). It's very hilarious! With people from the dementia unit getting lost and found! It's what you get when you decide to pick up a book on old people and more. Lots of philosophies from the old on how to live, lots of gibes against policy-makers who make laws affecting finance of their children so the children do not visit as much! All through it's soulful as well, you'll find it gutting that contrary to popular belief old people have heart and all the exposure in the media these days are all very crippling, says Hendrik 😞😙 GO GET THIS BOOK! 5★ 😀 #hendrikgroen #old #pension #pensioners #bookstagram #funny #humor #bookporn #bookish #bibliophile #bookworm #malemodel #Ghana #africanman #actionhero #jamesbond #gorgeous #black #fashion #mensuits #jackets #menwhoread #readingissexy #menreading

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Oct 3, 2016 at 12:30am PDT

National Book Awards Review: Colson Whitehead, Underground Railroad

PURCHASE~GOODREADS

The National Book Awards Longlist is in! And well, yes, Colson Whitehead's Underground Railroad. Going down as one of my Black Lives Matter novels, by me, this book is recommended for your reading! My review on Instagram:

I love being home! I love completing a book! Finally! Amidst all my project work chaos, completed Colson Whitehead! 😀 Well, I loved this one too. Another read that shows just exactly how #BlackLivesMatter and how we built, made, created #America as it stands! Another read that documents the harsh trans-atlantic slave trade! A thriller! Yes, despite it being about slavery, a thriller-element is included when our lead character escapes her master to freedom. But she doesn't exactly get freedom, does she? The most painful form of slavery is always the one with phantom shackles, the one that enslaves the mind and slowly seeks to cripple the body! It doesn't help that through all the small jobs she finds, experimentation made on blacks to reduce fertility because of the fear of revolution against the "white" race, the ruthless gunning down of blacks by "law enforcement officers", there's a slave-catcher on her tail! Brilliant! Except I do have one problem: the writing; done, done, done-before! I wanted an original style to meet this amazing storyline. Yet, this is a book you should pick up if you're in the mood for a bit of slavery fiction with thriller elements! Yup, enjoy! 😀 Oh, plus, the food, nothing like a welcome home meal (waakye with rice, see waakye recipe in previous posts) ... made by my own hands with the mum eating most of it! 😒 #colsonwhitehead #undergroundrailroad #fiction #bibliophile #foodporn #meals #recipe #foodstagram #foodie #bookstagram #African #slavery #thriller #Oprah #bookish #bookporn

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Sep 18, 2016 at 12:06am PDT

Manbooker Review: Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

PURCHASE~GOODREADS

OK, honestly, I was thrown when Eileen made the short-list. It wasn't disappointing, it was highly suspenseful, but I found the ending forced and highly anti-climaxed. Still, the writing was good, the anal imagery pervading the writing was unusual and interesting. Here's my review on Instagram, 'followed by my congratulations for making the short-list' photo:

Would it make Tomorrow's MANBOOKER shortlist? 😐 Well, Eileen was something else. Eileen the book takes patience to read, the narrative is slow. A short story of a few two hundred pages that focuses on one single event: her escape from her small-town. 😕 While I thought an amazing work was done on character development of Eileen, her drunkard father who emotionally abuses her, the prison guard she's romanticized and loves from afar, the woman, Rebecca, who eventually leads her to her escape, the characters are not exactly likable. All very quirky like the lead Eileen. This is a very strange book with lots of unsettling (bordering on disgusting) imagery. I wished the narrative was fast. The writing was good enough and its main character detestable enough to keep me reading. 😈 Photo Info: #AfricaThroughABook, it's rumoured that in Ghana you could get designer shades for as little as ten cedis, that's a $3. But if you hold a good bargain, you could get two that price. 👓 #Eileen #Manbooker #bookstagram #ottesamofegh #bookish #bookporn #bookworm #bibliophile #bookish #literary #fiction #sunglasses #Africa #trade #manbookerprize

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Sep 12, 2016 at 1:43am PDT

Partying bookworms are nothing without their books! A Toast to Eileen for making the shortlist! (Everyone who knows me knows I hate wearing #white! So I stand out almost everytime!) 😍 Photo courtesy: Albert @ghana_undiscovered, #manbookerprize2016 #manbookerprize #drinks #partying #bookworm #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookish #bookporn #alcohol #blackmen #menwhoread #readingissexy #fun #happy #toast #wine #Eileen #ottesamoshfegh

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Sep 15, 2016 at 3:29am PDT

Book Review: Between The World and Me by TaNehisi Coates

As part of my off-the-track reading, I was gifted this book by an amazing friend to probably teach me a lesson. A lesson which I learnt with a wince! This book has made me begin compiling a BlackLivesMatter list which I'll host up for you all to check out. And now my review for this book on Instagram:

"This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it." 😞 I believe @ttchume gifted me with this book because she wanted me to learn the harsh realities of the America I'd romanticized and that the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter is really a thing. 😱 Well, it worked. I read this book with a wince! Between the World and Me is an amazing account of racism in America and the degeneration of the word 'Black' in Western societies. To be "Black", is to be preyed, victimized and made to look like the villain. To be Black is to live in fear of your life, to live in the deep trenches of injustice no amount of freedom could haul you out. I've never really been emotional about a book on racism this much. A moving tale told from the point of view of a father making his little boy conscious to all the evils inflicted on his race by the "whites". Evils which till this day continue to persist. I haven't teared up enough. I think I'm going to comfort eat from my piggy-bank savings—the one labelled "Welcome To New York" 😭 #betweentheworldandme #tanehisicoates #racism #bookstagram #nonfiction #literary #bibliophile #injustice #black #bookporn #currentread #

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Sep 7, 2016 at 6:51am PDT

Manbooker Review: The Sellout by Paul Beatty

PURCHASE~ GOODREADS.

When the Manbooker shortlist, came out, I was unsurprised to see The Sellout on the list, although it was one of two books I'd read from the longlist. So, yes, I believed it would make the short-list because of its unusual style. And yes, I believe you should all read it. Here's my post about it on instagram.

"You stupid overmedicated bitch. If you don't back that fucking jalopy out of my space, I swear to God, I'm going to punch you in your anti-ageing-cold-cream face and permanently reverse five hundred years of white privilege and five hundred thousand dollars of plastic surgery!" 😂 OMG! To have a father like that! 👆 This book is all kinds of crazy! In fact, if there's a word to describe this book, it would be bat-shit-crazy! 😀 A satire that would stay forever in the hallmarks of Black American Literature, and I even envision this becoming a classic studied by schools on post-racism literature! I loved, loved it so much, I found myself deducing what all those absurd situations represented in real-life and what structures the writer was criticizing. There are two ways you could read this book: the first and ugliest is laughing only to the humorous bits and its highly absurd scenes, closing it and not taking any lessons because you just thought it was a funny book. The second and best way, is to consider this a literary masterpiece—because that's what it is, as you ask yourself the reason the main character is pressing for the cause of segregation when some of America's best memories are not from that era, or the existence of Hominy, the self-imposed slave who expects the main character to whip him, who only is afraid of abolitionists. 😯 5 stars and highly recommend! ⭐ @ns510reads that guy in the background is dressed up as Hominy, so I immediately took this pic. 😉 @ttchume I listened to your convo with Nana about slavery and racism in America, and I know you'd love this! 😁 #thesellout #funny #hilarious #satire #literary #blacklivesmatter #paulbeatty #bookstagram #bookporn #bookish #manbooker2016 #Africa #Accra #slavery #racism #sharp.

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Aug 31, 2016 at 12:13am PDT

Killer Review: A Different Class by Joanne Harris

PURCHASE~ GOODREADS

The King of DNFing thrillers because they are unoriginal is back! And in these times of the influx of Domestic/Psychological Thrillers, where you could read a hundred titles and still feel like you read one with a twitch here and a twitch there in the overall plot, THIS IS THE THRILLER YOU NEED TO READ! 😄 I'm all for discovering underrated books! And trust me, this a book that would get you saying 'Urethra, urethra, I've found the one book that has helped me gain mastery over my bladder!" 😜 I never intended to pick this book to read early! I just picked it because I was running for @brunchoverbooks (over @teabaagh) and it matched with what I was wearing (—you know, for us bookworms, a wrong book can nail your outfit in the coffin even more than a wrong purse!). 😝 Anyway, 'how's this thriller like, and why's it so special?' you'd ask. (Well, my answer wouldn't be 'You just have to read it and see', sadly). How many of us are Potter fans? (I mean, Harry Potter fans. You'd be surprised I'm African and have shockingly never set eyes on a potter before! Till recently, I believed pot was planted!) Imagine Professor Snape starring as lead in a thriller. His voice in first-person narrating a thriller to you. Yes, you're imagining now! That's exactly how this book's lead is! He's a sixty-year old latin master in a boy's school who has no clue what an email is, until, a new Head who happened to be one of his own boys takes over the reins, and decides to usher a school built on Old Guard traditions into the new age. The whole thriller part of this summary is: the new Head is dark, and he's back, to make someone pay for all the wrongs done to him as a student! GO GET THIS! GO GET THIS! IT'S HARRY POTTER WITHOUT THE PARONUM SPELL! (Oh, plus, she's the author of Chocolat, which became a movie starring Johnny Depp! So you can imagine how impeccable the writing would be) 😘 #thriller #bookstagram #differentclass #joanneHarris #bookish #bookporn #currentlyreading #malemodel #sipnswap #accra #teabaa #osu #smile #gorgeous #black #menwhoread #readingissexy #happysunday #goodmorning

A photo posted by Kobby Ben Ben (@bookworm_man) on Aug 28, 2016 at 12:08am PDT

Book Review: Death by Water by Kenzaburo Oe

Purchase|Goodreads 

"I've noticed young women nowadays don't appear to have any regrets about anything, or any awareness of the possibility that their present actions might be sowing the seeds for future regrets. That's perfectly natural, of course, since they probably haven't had time to do anything they regret. They seem to feel completely fine about everything." 😤

This book! Literary in every sense of the word. Throw in haikus, past civil wars, military coups, a writer going back in time to write the "drowning novel" chronicling the life and 'death by water' of his father. Nobel Literature Prize Winners write with this ease! You're comfortable in their craft, and you're in no mood to finish early. The introduction to lots of traditional symbols of Japanese culture was insightful. And so are all the characters, though they are mostly developed in—wait for it—DIALOGUES! This book is a dialogue book, sometimes from start to finish of a scene. And all action, the plot actually happens in the dialogue. I do hope to read more from Kenzaburo Oe! 😊

Killer Review: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Purchase|Goodreads 

Claudia's Review. 

After weeks of futilely trying to find a book on my TBR that was actually readable, I finally pulled out Ruth Ware's "The Woman In Cabin 10"-best decision of my life (okay I'm exaggerating)—★

 All I had to do was read the first page and I couldn't put it down. I loved the main character not only because of her claustrophobia which I can relate to but how she was portrayed. The fact that  every single decision she made I understood,every step she took I took and how I felt her fear and anxiety—★★ 

This book was perfect in so many ways one of which was its use of future news articles to fortell impending doom yet being vague enough to leave the reader with so much uncertainty.—★★★


The woman in cabin 10 was a thriller in every sense of the word-from start to finish-there was never a dull moment.—★★★★

I finished this book feeling exhausted but in a good way,the kind that is exhilarating like the aftermath of a rollercoaster ride.—★★★★★

I give this book a ten star because I think it deserves more than a five star and I think Ruth Ware just raised the bar for every other book I'm going to read in the future and thanks to her I am never ever going on a cruise.

Book Review: Under The Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

Purchase|Goodreads 

Imagine This: Who do you love most? Your religion? Or your sexuality? If you love both, could  there be a reason to merge the two? What if your religion does not accept your sexuality? What would you do then? 😩

It's the year of the Biafra war, Which has taken your dad. And left your mother to become this sour bitch readers cannot recognize. She goes to leave you in the care of some other family. As most poor widows did during the war so they can sort themselves out and come for their kids afterwards. Then you meet this amazing Girl you fall in love with. Like you she's lost so much. Unlike you though, she's from a different tribe. The tribe warring against yours. Difficult. But you love her anyway because you can't fathom your life without her. But your mother, society, all of who are religious extremists, decide it's not possible for a girl and another to be in an intimate relationship. Pray the gay away. Avoid all things gay at all costs. But whatever you do, the gay finds you, catches up with you and once again you're restless! The time has come for you to decide what to choose: religion, your family, blind culture or sexuality 😩

God! This is such an emotional read! It starts out very literary with experiences of Ifeoma with the Biafra war. And how the war affected her community. And her family. Could get graphic at times, so reach for your tissues! Then it peters into upmarket fiction (a sad move for me really, as the writing became more commercial) documenting the mechanisms of Ifeoma's relationship with Amina! This book offers insights into Africa and Homosexuality! Africa's first LGBT book! You'd be moved! You'd be awed. And you'd be gutted! I recommend this to all you looking for insightful reads into other cultures in relation to controversial almost taboo topics! So bookclub fiction! And sadly, like Homegoing, one of those books that didn't make the Manbooker selection this year, but you'd be darn sad if you miss out  of it! 😝

Event Review: Sip N Swap part Deux! (Book Club at the Tea Baa cafe)

You meet Nice people. You Swap Nice books. You eat Nice food. You talk Nice books!

I loved this month's Sip N Swap! At Tea Baa (amazing place in Accra, Nice food, Great Ambience, see pictures!). A Nice avenue set up by Brunch Over Books to discuss must-read African fiction, or anything written of importance to Africa that you'd advice even your grandmum to go get (—chances are she wouldn't, she's still complaining about her  bad sight even though she's got six contacts in different frames!).

This month's (see last month's) event was more personal. The crowd more open. Discussions starting even before the event commenced. Yes, you won't find it difficult starting conversations with a bunch of bookworms because no one is looking into their phones! I must add, I ordered The Half of A Yellow Sun cocktail and the Things Fall Apart cheesecake! (I'll tell you one thing! I didn't DNF the Half of a Yellow Sun cocktail on the first Sip, like I did the book! And The Things Fall Apart cheesecake, didn't leave a sour taste in my mouth! Like the book did!)

The books that went on everyone's Must Read List:

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 

Under The Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
LaDivine by Marie Ndiaye
Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
So Long A Letter by Mariamaba
The Memory of Love by Aminata Forna
The Book of Memory by Pettina Gappah.


The Lazarus Effect by H. J Golakai.
Dietland by Sarai Walker.
  

Book Review: LaDivine by Marie Ndyiaye

Purchase|Goodreads 

Imagine This: All your life you've lied. Lied about your life. Lied that your parents have died. But you do believe in these lies. These lies that have suddenly become your new life. 😝 

Your poor, Black, servant mother. In your old life. Only remembered when you have to make those dreaded visits. Those dreaded visits when you're not elegant Clarisse with a family so cultured! When you just become a Malinka! The daughter of a servant! 😤

You hide your mum from your husband and your daughter. So well-structured, these two lives, both worlds do not confluence. But the pressure to keep this up. All these lies and secrets. Soon is too overwhelming. And suddenly you're being transformed into something your daughter and your husband can't recognize. And have to abandon you. 😟

Nowhere else to be. No Clarrisse to be. You decide to retreat to Malinka. But it's written in the stars, fate, that the daughter of a poor, black servant, like her mother is bound to have a tragic end! Malinka! Malinka! Malinka! Oh, Malinka! 😭


Great. All that, whatever that up there was, over, you need to understand reading this book is a challenge! I am not kidding here! You need to be an advanced, advanced reader to be able to appreciate this piece of poignant literature! Because that's what it is, poignant literature with a complex writing style (multi-phrased sentences) that evokes powerful emotions. If you have a thing for dialogues, no this book is not for you! As its only 10% dialogue. You have to love very, well-written monologues to be able to appreciate it as the plot doesn't move. As the plot doesn't move as fast as the (complex) characters' monolgues! That said, so many times I wanted to shut this book, put it down! But it was the complex writing (which I even had a hate-love relationship with) that drew me in! Till the marvelous end! If I have to give this book a genre: It would be literary, literary, literary fiction! 😨 

My rating: 4 stars [(just because so many times I'd given up on it, only to pick it up again because I couldn't imagine not knowing what happens to Malinka, Ladivine (her daughter) and the other Ladivine (her mother)] ⭐

Book Review: Black Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

Purchase|Goodreads 

My Review 

Imagine This: A flower. A killer. On the loose. A killer you'd thought you'd jailed years ago. But suddenly Black Eyed Susans have began sprouting underneath your window, a message from the killer or just a coincidence? 😩

Not just a coincidence! 😭

But you'd have to confront the fact that the real killer may not be in prison. That all those years ago, your testimony is going to put an innocent Man on Death Row and he has few days left! 😟

Never mind this innocent Man about to be executed is the least of your problems. Never mind more messages are being 'planted' by this serial killer. Never mind your daughter may be also be in the trouble of also being a Black Eyed Susan. But maybe, unlike you she may not be lucky to survive being buried alive for days under a patch of innocent flowers. Because you were the only one out of four girls who did! 😨

My rating: 5 ⭐

You would love this book, if you're looking to be gripped by suspense!—★ I forced myself to read it all in one-go, but God, I began having a raging migraine (because I was so grogged out that day) and fell asleep dreaming I was continuing it, the words playing in my head! (Does this happen to anyone?)—★★★ If you're looking to read something with amazing writing!—★★★★ If you're looking for something well-researched!!!—★★★★★

Please, Please go read this book! Before it's made into a movie!  Because it's been optioned for film! That's just really one of the tiny reasons to read this very, original thriller! (And trust me, when I say this because I am one of those that have DNFed thrillers for not being original!) And the writing is amazing!!!! Characters well-developed!!!! 😍