Erin

Eloquent, reflective, fun, and insightful

Revisado: 10-26-21

I was charmed (and sometimes annoyed) by Edward Lee on Top Chef, and I impulse purchased this book when I finished watching his season. I wasn't sure what to expect, but, wow, this book surprised and delighted. It is thoughtfully composed and beautifully written. Complex and rich with questions and reflections on food culture, power dynamics, meaning, identity, and more. Few answers are provided, but the ride is more than worth it. For what it's worth, I also liked the narrator. Highly recommend.

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Dang, this was so good.

Revisado: 01-25-21

I can't believe how modern of a read this story is. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book, and I was so sad when it came to a close. I have been a horror fan for so long, and I can't believe I was missing out on this! Do yourself a favor and download today.

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Fantastic narration and fascinating story

Revisado: 01-25-21

I had a blast listening to Frankenstein with its intriguing ruminations and philosophical inquiries. You can really get a sense of the times in which Shelley lived--and the influence of travel writings and journals. The descriptions of the journeys undertaken by both Frankenstein and his "monster" had a bit of Byron in them (not to mention, the other Shelley). Narration was on point. While this book packs a punch (in its own way), I have to say when it comes to getting my nineteenth-century horror fix, I prefer Dracula.

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Just Okay

Revisado: 11-18-20

The beginning was really hard for me to get into, had to listen about three times. Then, the middle gets really good -- incredible and atmospheric world-building. Then, the ending. I thought it went on too long, some of the dreamy realizations were anticlimactic, and I didn't understand why the villains were so powerful. Hm.

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My favorite of the series

Revisado: 02-11-20

Delightful conclusion to a lovely and beautifully written series. This was my favorite of the three -- a fun adventure, a wonderfully creative world, and a satisfying end. I loved the addition of the Egyptian mythology and lore. Each book has such a clearly defined aesthetic, and I highly recommend them all.

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Beautiful stage, not much else

Revisado: 11-14-19

The first half of this book is so delicious. Sadly, all the intricate and lovely world building does not seem to go anywhere.

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Why does this book have so many five-star reviews?

Revisado: 06-05-19

I almost stopped listening to this after the first chapter, but I pressed on because it is supposed to be some like... important American classic? But, like so many other "American" classics this is trumped up (literally), completely banal, and racist blather. I listened all the way through because I wanted to write a fair review after hearing the entire thing – especially since this book has so many five-star reviews on Audible.

The "perspective" (if we can even go so far as to call it that) offered is outdated to say the least. Sure, it points to systemic racism, and yes, it's all supposed to be a preposterous farce, and yes, we're supposed to hate the horrible white male minds that we're forced to suffer through monologue after endless heinous monologue. But, the author (as all too many white male authors of the same generation often do) takes too much time to REVEL in the minds of these men (all in the guise of painstakingly setting the scene, observations made hidden behind masks of "empiricism" and "realism" -- as if to say, yeah, face this: the inner id of man and if you can't handle it, yeahhh, you don't know what living is) so that the character’s fantasies become the author's fantasies, and meanwhile you just have sit there and endure all these insane paragraphs that some editor (probably some other dumb old white guy) thought were just great -- so real, so absurd, like a punch in the face -- and what's more powerful than a punch in the face from one dude to another!? All these horrible characters then get to set the terms of debate for social criticism. Even though Wolfe likely thought that this was his most brilliant and pessimistic contribution to the conversation, it falls on deaf ears these days. It does not stand the test of time.

The other issue is the narrator. Honestly, the way that this guy embraces his performance of blackness doesn't just hint at minstrelsy... it IS minstrelsy. He approaches the white characters with equal stereotypical force, but behind his interpretation of New York socialites there's not the weight of hundreds of years of slavery and oppression (and the ACTUAL long-standing cultural practice of white people PERFORMING blackness for the sake of comedy, farce, and satire) (again, the metacommentary could be interesting if it weren’t so pointless and likely lost on most listeners). Anytime the book becomes enlightening or expository, there goes the narrator reminding you that blackface was still okay in 2008. In the end, the story points to problems that should be pointed at, but it only does so by reproducing those problems, and in its final arrogance, the book suggests that a nihilistic bonfire of the vanities must be the only answer for all these joke people living in their joke world. Yeah, okay, cool. Great. Time to sit down and listen to someone else’s perspective.

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Some very heartwarming and funny moments!

Revisado: 01-29-19

Some of these chapters were downright delightful, laugh-out-loud, and insightful. I wish Wilson brought just a touch more reflexivity to his writing -- with more emphasis on his social standing and privilege. There are moments where he is so self-aware and then moments where that seems to fade away leaving me with mixed feelings about the book as a whole. His fabulous chapters could perhaps stand alone in a book of essays.

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Fantastic contribution!

Revisado: 01-22-19

Incredibly impressive in its scope, the value of this biography cannot be overstated. Franklin has worked tirelessly to synthesize the vast material record of Shirley Jackson into a readable and comprehensible work. And it's almost perfect. I felt that at times, there was too much repetition in the descriptions of Jackson and Hyman -- too much attention paid to the same cyclical problems faced by the couple without enough reflection. So much so that it was hard to keep track of time and space. Jackson was always struggling and Hyman was always chasing girls -- exiting and entering Bennington College, always writing this good thing for the New Yorker or this bad thing for the New Yorker. Shortening and condensing would have done this work some good. While the first half was absolutely riveting, I had to power through the last three hours or so -- unfortunately turns into a bit of a slog. Franklin's brilliant ideas and keen observations hidden amongst the humdrum onslaught of the everyday trials of Jackson and Hyman.

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This stayed with me

Revisado: 11-02-18

The first 3/4 was easy to follow. The language wavered between being beautifully poetic and overwrought. At its best, it was a totally unique sensory experience. At its worst, it felt a little bit like a 17/18th century A Handmaid's Tale (the TV version). I really don't think of this as a horror book. I think I understand the cyclical metaphor of the last 1/4 of the book. If there was supposed to be a more specific reading of wtf happened, then it was lost on me. I was annoyed when I finished it, but the deliciousness of the feeling of the overall book has stayed with me so it is kind of worth it? It's only like 5 hours, why not try it?

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