’Cause You Got to Have Friends
Currently reading:
Even Though I Knew The End by C. L. Polk
Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison
Sonnets for a Missing Key by Percival Everett
Books finished this week: 3
★★☆☆☆
Where this book came from: Purchased at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, when Alyssa (hi, Alyssa!) and I were visiting back in March.
Why this book: I think Alyssa found this one first and showed it to me, and the title and premise were too good to pass up.
Thoughts: Unfortunately, I felt this book took itself too seriously for such a truly bizarre premise. Like, “woman infiltrates serial killer sharing circle” is just begging for dark humor, and I think the book could have made the more important points it wanted to make while also leaning into the inherent insanity of the premise. But by being so serious, it just highlighted how unrealistic the premise was. The characters were flat and the support group scenes were really devoid of any emotion. I also felt like there was both over-explaining and sometimes no explanation at all. We suddenly find out a good chunk into the book (cannot remember when, cannot be bothered to check) that the main character has been training in MMA for years. YEARS. Huh?? Conversely, after getting descriptions of the support group set-up——a circle of chairs, shitty coffee and snacks, usually in a rec center or church basement——we’re told at least twice, in two separate scenes, that it feels like a twisted AA meeting. Like, yes, I understood that from the descriptions you gave me and the premise of the novel. Save that page space for some character development instead.
★★★★★
Where this book came from: Faulkner House Books, the best little bookstore in an alley next to a pirate-themed absinthe bar<3
Why this book: I texted Bendy (hi, Bendy!) in a tizzy to request poetry recs, and Siken is one of the poets she suggested I check out! When I collected my pile of books at Faulkner House, the woman who checked me out informed me that apparently they had been selling a lot of Siken recently.
Thoughts: I’m still very poetry-stupid, but I don’t know, I just liked it! I found the painting/art imagery that ran through it fascinating and easy for my brain to grasp. Five stars!
★★★★★
Where this book came from: Ordered from Barnes & Noble a couple years back.
Why this book: Jacki (hi, Jacki!) recommended this book literally years ago, and I bought it immediately and then proceeded . . . not to read it lol. I’m very sorry I waited so long!! It was also super short and just the kind of shot of reading positivity I needed to get back into the groove.
Thoughts: MURDERBOT!! I love this book, I love the vibes, I love Murderbot. I have nothing else to say (because it’s very short and I don’t want to ruin anything), except go read this!!
Library updates:
After writing up this week’s reviews, I realized that each book was, however tangentially, recommended by a friend. And that’s just nice!
To be honest with you, I spent a lot of this week lazing about——I was exhausted from last weekend, plus we had a few more rainy days that certainly weren’t helping. I found it incredibly difficult to get up, to shower in a timely fashion, to do much of anything beyond getting up from my bed or couch, let alone leaving the house.
You know what helped me feel a little less awful about myself? Friends. It was so wonderful to meet so many of my grad school classmates in person, at last, at graduation last weekend, and to be reminded of the thriving writing community I can——and should, and will——continue building for myself. And when I got back to Queens, just sending and receiving a few texts reminded me that spending a few quiet days alone doesn’t mean I’m retreating from life entirely and irrevocably. I am just not the most extroverted, go-get-’em gal. I needed a breather, and those cool cats will be there when I’m ready again.
I know I wrote not long ago about trying to be more social-thinking with my plans, because it’s good to see people in real life and also because making plans with people I want to see makes it more likely I’ll actually show up. I’m still working on that. But while I sort out my schedule, keeping in touch is just as important. Texting a friend about a book you’re loving and think they’ll enjoy; chatting about a show you’re both watching; just checking in and saying hi. Those things mean the world to me.
Closing thoughts:
Tell a friend you’re thinking about them.
Total books read from the Moratorium Library: 152
(Total books added to the Moratorium Library: 304)
I planned to just get an iced coffee while I waited for Britt (hi, Britt!) at McNally Jackson Seaport. But it had been so long since I stepped into a bookstore . . .
