Because I’ve been posting most of my reviews due to Bingo, I haven’t kept up with the leftover ones until now. Hope everyone had a good summer. It’s my least favorite time of year but this one wasn’t so bad.
Heartsick***: I took this book too seriously when I tried to read it the first time. I relaxed and enjoyed the ride the second. Goofy fun, nothing more.
Brief Answers to the Big Questions****: I do enjoy listening to Hawking’s desire to push the boundaries of human knowledge re:physics. His curiosity gets the best of him and it’s his curiosity that I think has always made him such a relatable public figure.
Julius Caesar****: It’s very good until the final act, when you’re just waiting for Brutus, et al to get what’s coming to them. A lot of familiar Shakespeare themes in an unfamiliar setting but it still makes sense as the actual Roman political scene was similar, only with more bribes and fewer melancholic soliloquies.
Conversations With Friends***: It’s a well-written novel for a person who penned it in their mid-20s. I don’t mean that in a condescending way; Sally Rooney is incredibly talented. But all the things she tries here in her debut are things she will perfect in Normal People, which was one of my top ten reads of the century. I found myself a bit disappointed in this one, mainly because I didn’t connect with the MC the way I did with the two in her far superior sophomore work.
Confucius For Christians***: Was a bit disappointed in this one. I’ve had a curiosity about Confucianism for a while now and I’ve read books from people who have done good comparisons to other faiths and Christ (Paul Knitter and Thich Nhat Hanh come to mind). But while there are some good nuggets on Confucian thought, this one doesn’t go far below the surface. It would probably help me to have someone from East Asia explain East Asian culture/philosophy as opposed to a traveler.
Lucky at Cards****: Aside from the end, this is another enjoyable Lawrence Block team-up with HCC. Block said that writing erotic pulp early in his career helped because no matter how trashy, he always imbued his books with characterization. You can see it here and it’s what elevates his work above most of the genre.
A Dance at the Slaughterhouse****: Not as good as I remembered but still very good and probably my favorite Scudder.
I Need You to Read This***: Meh. Whole lotta meh. Boring characters, predictability, not enough New York. Good ending though, otherwise, I’m probably not gonna remember much about this one in the next six months or weeks or even days.
Case Closed****: A very good book dispelling the many myths and theories around the Kennedy assassination. Though all the footnotes spun my head a bit and subtracted my enjoyment of the book. The final chapter in which the author compares the cult of conspiracy theorists to a religion is chilling to read, given the rise of QAnon and the centering of conspiracies in the Trump administration.
Doing the Devil’s Work****: Another good entry in this series. Great characters, great setting. I was worried how the plot would resolve but Loehfelm seems content to table set for future books but in a way that doesn’t feel cheap. He’s one of the few white male writers I know who can write believable female and non-white characters.
The Kneeling Man****: A fascinating look at a man in an iconic photograph who shouldn’t have been there. Unfortunately, as far as the author’s father’s career is explored, it’s mostly about his time undercover in the Memphis police as opposed to his appearance on the scene of the MLK assassination or time with the CIA. The former appears to be nothing more than a fluke of history, the latter would understandably be full of redactions even if the author could tell the full story. The conversation with her dad and Andrew Young is almost worth the price of admission given the historical weight of it. Not exactly the book I was hoping for but a fascinating story nonetheless.
The Third Bullet***: The wannabe Le Carré stuff was fun, the Bobby Lee Swagger stuff was the Guns and Men! crap I’m not a fan of, the end was whatever but I had a good time for the most part.
Burning Angel****: I think the code for me with Robicheaux books is I need space from them unless I want desperately to read about New Orleans; in which they then fit the bill. This isn’t significantly better than the others but I enjoyed it for what it was as it felt more like visiting an old friend and not being exhausted by a plot that reads like Kevin from The Office trying in vain to carry a massive pot of chili. Weird ending. But good for what the series is.
The Queen City Detective Agency***: I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Private investigator, historical crime fiction, southern setting, Dixie Mafia, politics, yes yes and yes. And parts of it are really good. But it took me two tries to glom to the author’s writing style and by the time I was in rhythm with it, the book begins to peter out. I liked it but I think it would have been solid with better editing.
Poetic Justice****: Really enjoyed this one. A solid debut effort with a fun heroine and a dense plot. Hope Victoria Justice gets a sequel soon.