A few reviews of shorter books that I read quickly over the weekend and didn’t have extra time to flesh out…
Tonguebreaker *****
Coming to terms with a society that doesn’t want you based on your body…and creating your own space instead…has to be a challenging thing. Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha bares her soul to the world in this collection of poems and one-act plays. Her use of language to lecture gripped me and her exploration of what it means to live in this world, to choose life amidst death, despite being close to death, is hauntingly beautiful.
Batman: Earth One, Volume 3 ****
Such a refreshing, clever take on Batman, with great art to boot. It doubles as an interesting exploration of mental health and trauma and while it doesn’t break ground there, it perhaps goes further than the typical Batman stories do. I hope I don’t have to wait long for Vol. 4.
Solomon’s Vineyard **
As far as pulps are concerned, this one isn’t bad, per se. Latimer is a good writer and there are some clever, as well as humorous moments. The problem is the book is rancidly racist and misogynistic, even compared to its contemporaries. I have a strong stomach for such things but it gets to the point that it devalues the book.
Antartica: Journeys to the South Pole ***
Look, I had to read this for a library challenge. If you want to learn more about the journeys to and through Antartica, check it out. It covers the basics, gives photos, will give you an idea of how the continent was discovered. It’s also depressing as hell because traversing through Antartica seems depressing as hell. But your mileage may vary.
When You Reach Me ****
I don’t read a lot of kids/YA stuff but this is the kind of charming, delightful book that I enjoy, especially when it involves urban exploring in the Upper West Side, as well as examining the joys and complexities of single parenthood. I truly didn’t see the twist coming and the revelation had a nice pay off. A fun read.
