Plot: This book is more of a character study than a narrative with a plot. Ifemelu is a young Nigerian woman who comes to the United States for a postgraduate education. The book begins as she is about to return to Nigeria and stops in a hair salon to have her hair braided. This isContinue reading “Review of “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie”
Tag Archives: fiction
Review of “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Plot: In 1945, Barcelona, Spain, Daniel Sampere’s father, a bookseller, allows him to choose one book from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. The father does this to comfort him after Daniel realizes he can no longer remember what his late mother looked like. He chooses The Shadow of the Wind by Barcelona author Julián Carax,Continue reading “Review of “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón”
Review of “What You Are Looking For is In the Library” by Michiko Aoyama
Plot:This is a collection of five interrelated stories of people who come into the library in Hatori Community House in Tokyo. There, the librarian asks each person, “What are you looking for?” Ms. Sayuri Komachi, the librarian, is not a mousy person with black-framed winged glasses, but something of a presence. In the first story,Continue reading “Review of “What You Are Looking For is In the Library” by Michiko Aoyama”
Review of “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie
The Stuff and Ramblings:This semi-autobiographical YA novel centers on an adolescent young man called Junior growing up on the Spokane Reservation. Like the author, he was born with hydrocephalus and underwent surgery as an infant. Both also suffered seizures as children. Because he is not athletic, he is easy prey for bullies. He has oneContinue reading “Review of “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie”
Review of “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson
Warning: the book reviewed deals with sexual violence. The review mentions it but does not describe it. Plot:Melinda Sordino starts high school with everyone hating her. Her old friends from middle school aren’t talking to her. She really does eat her lunch all by herself. Maybe if she could tell them about what happened, aboutContinue reading “Review of “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson”
Review of “The Life of a Stupid Man” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
A warning: This work, published posthumously, was written shortly before its author took his life in 1927 and reflects his long-standing despair. I wish to add that if you are dealing with issues like this, please call the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Hotline at 988. The Stuff and Ramblings: This extremely short semi-autobiographical book canContinue reading “Review of “The Life of a Stupid Man” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa”
Review of “The Beast with Five Fingers” by William Fryer Harvey: Halloween Countdown
Plot:The narrator introduces Mr. Adrian Borlsover, who was good with his hands, able to illustrate his own scientific paper, and carve wood. At the time, the narrator was a child, and Mr. Borlsover was elderly. He’d lost his eyesight in midlife but adapted, learning Braille and maintaining his ability to write. Mr. Borlsover had noContinue reading “Review of “The Beast with Five Fingers” by William Fryer Harvey: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Thing from ‘Outside’” by George Allan England: Halloween Countdown
Plot:A party of Americans traveling in the Canadian wilderness finds themselves deserted by their Indigenous guides after they come across a “circular print on a rock-ledge.” They hear the guides scream, fire shots, and conclude they’re dead and “out of harm’s way.” On the other hand, the present company is “two hundred and fifty wickedContinue reading “Review of “The Thing from ‘Outside’” by George Allan England: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “Smee” by A. M. Burrage: Halloween Countdown
PlotDuring a Christmas Eve party, Jackson refuses to play hide-and-seek because he sometimes stays at a house where a girl was accidentally killed playing the game by falling down a flight of stairs. He wasn’t there when this happened, but he was visiting the same house during another Christmas party when something worse happened. WhenContinue reading “Review of “Smee” by A. M. Burrage: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Shadow” by Edith Nesbit: Halloween Countdown
Plot:A girl faints during a dance at a country house over Christmas in Victorian-era Great Britain. She is sent to recover in a dressing room. Other girls sleep in a bedroom attached to the dressing room. Of course, they don’t sleep but sit up, telling each other ghost stories. While they’re scaring themselves, a knockContinue reading “Review of “The Shadow” by Edith Nesbit: Halloween Countdown”
Reviews of Old and New Stories. Mostly Old 