
BOOK REVIEWS: April '23
The first quarterly book review of 2023! This round-up includes Bath Haus by P.J. Vernon, My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent, Ill Will by Dan Chaon, and Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite. Contains spoilers!
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HOW TO: READ LIKE A WRITER
Whether you're picking up a book for the first time in years or you read a new book every week, these ten tips will help you hone your storytelling skills while reading the books you already love.
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BOOK ANALYSIS: A LITTLE LIFE
Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life follows the enegmatic Jude through fifty years of life, from his harrowing childhood into his wildly successful adulthood and beyond. This epic tragedy is a both a test of empathy and a miserable lesson in futility.
Contains spoilers!
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BOOK ANALYSIS: THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE
Haruki Murakami's The Wind Up Bird Chronicle tells the story of a man trying to uncover his wife's deepest secret. This surrealist nightmare poses far more questions than it answers, and will leave you wanting to curl up at the bottom of a well.
Contains spoilers!
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BOOK ANALYSIS: IN THE MISO SOUP
Ryu Murakami's In the Miso Soup is an unsettling look into Tokyo's sex industry. Not for the faint-hearted, it drags the reader on a 'murder-mystery' full of Holden Caulfield-esque rants, hypnosis, and questionable character motivations.
Contains spoilers!
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BOOK ANALYSIS: KITCHEN
Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen tackles grief in two stories: Kitchen and Midnight Shadow. Dazzling, poignant prose highlights the beauty in continuing to live as her characters struggle to cope with their loved ones' death.
Contains spoilers!
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BOOK ANALYSIS: OUT
Natsuo Kirino's Out asks the question: what will you do for money? This methodical crime thriller follows five women working the night shift as they unravel in the wake of a murder, weaving in themes of misogyny, obsession, and personal finance.
Contains spoilers!
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