The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins This is the second book I’ve read that’s been described as being similar to GONE GIRL, but this one actually comes pretty close. It starts with Rachel Watson, an unemployed alcoholic who is maintaining the illusion of a normal life by continuing to commute daily to London. …
Category: Book Review
Jan 20
Book Review: The Descendants
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings This novel has everything you might want in a novel. It has rich family dynamics, complex and changing relationships, and a lush and fascinating background. It’s set in Hawaii, where Matt King is one of the last descendants of a land speculator and a Hawaiian princess. He’s also …
Jan 08
Book Review: Absolutely Almost
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff This is a charming book about a kid named Albie who’s not very good at anything. I found him plausible and endearing, as well as the secondary characters. It’s a character-driven novel centering on a young boy and his relationship with his parents, with his babysitter, with his best friend, …
Jan 06
Book Review: The Triple Package
The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America by Amy Chua This isn’t a terrible book, but it’s not spectacular either. On one hand, Chua and Rubenfeld put into simple words something I inherently understood but had never said out loud before: Insecurity, a sense of …
Dec 23
Book Review: Beautiful You
Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk This only the second of Chuck Palahniuk’s books I’ve read, and I was lent it by one of his greatest fans with the description “I just got it, I have no idea what it’s about.” Even the dust jacket had been taken off. The book opens with the main character, …