Review: The Swimmers

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Perhaps because I’m a swimmer that I didn’t find the beginning half of the book too strange. Although the swimmers’ believes about the crack led me to think perhaps this was going into some sort of fantasy or magical realism story. That it did not. Rather, the second half of the book should have a warning for any elderly person for disturbing content! Whilst I myself frequently go in and out of aged care facilities and I can certainly understand the potential for despair, loneliness in such settings, I felt it exaggerated. It felt like she was describing a dystopian state controlling these old people and manipulating these fragile vulnerable old people for their money. I sometimes I do feel like these facilities are inhumane and money grabbing but I fail to see the point the author wants to make with the story - is it to say that anyone of us ordinary person can develop dementia and die not knowing ourselves anymore??

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Review: The Spare Room

The Spare Room by Helen Garner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In spite of the often light hearted description of the situation of the book, there is a very dark undercurrent of our avoidance of mortality flowing through the book. I love the description of the complex love and hate, demands and compromises we expect of relationships, friendships specifically. Beautiful language. I’d love to have friends like Helen Garner

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Review: Oh William!

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I know people have raged about the book - at how well she captured the conflicted emotions of marriage and intimate relationships. However having read Helen Garner’s the Spare Room shortly after, I felt Garner’s description of human relationships and use of language superior to Strout’s. Above average book and an entertaining read.

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Review: How High We Go in the Dark

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Only in the second half of the book did I realise they are short stories in and of them selves but there is a thread of connection between them. I was slightly disappointed when I realised they won’t somehow come together. But it’s a chilling theme and speaks to loneliness. Pandemic or not , we still disconnect and even more lonely after the pandemic. There is no lesson learnt…

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Review: The Swimmers

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Perhaps because I’m a swimmer that I didn’t find the beginning half of the book too strange. Although the swimmers’ believes about the crack led me to think perhaps this was going into some sort of fantasy or magical realism story. That it did not. Rather, the second half of the book should have a warning for any elderly person for disturbing content! Whilst I myself frequently go in and out of aged care facilities and I can certainly understand the potential for despair, loneliness in such settings, I felt it exaggerated. It felt like she was describing a dystopian state controlling these old people and manipulating these fragile vulnerable old people for their money. I sometimes I do feel like these facilities are inhumane and money grabbing but I fail to see the point the author wants to make with the story - is it to say that anyone of us ordinary person can develop dementia and die not knowing ourselves anymore??

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Review: A Little Life

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: Us Against You

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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