So glad I’m not the only person who really disliked TITF. The sudden societal shift to cannibalism did not have enough world building for it to make sense, so the social commentary just came off as heavy handed and blunt.
Just caught up with this. A wonderful look at the full spectrum of your books over the year. Credit to the greats and not-greats. Fair and discerning, thoughts about books I haven’t paid attention to, and a great way to rank the books. Simple, clear, and never neutral. This is reason #37 why I follow you. And huge applause for mentioning Tom Robbins, who was Vonnegut-lite but Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was essential reading, along with Moby Dick, while I was hitchhiking around the Southwest in my mid-20s.
I also cared little for Tender is the Flesh, but I haven't read some of the other's on your list. I will now consider some of them based on your quick reactions. I really liked this year review list and how you condensed it this format. Thank you for sharing!
Your list sent me back to The Undressing. I read it a couple of years ago and was entranced. What a pleasure to return to the strange, intimate world of these poems. Thank you.
Extremely thrilled to see Oscar Wilde's Fairy Tales and Kelly Link's stories at the top!! And Happily! I loved Happily -- it's basically what inspired me to start my substack. I really really need to read Thistlefoot.
Benedict Cumberbatch also did some of the Rumpole of the Bailey books for BBC Radio. They get re-broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, on BBC Sounds at various times in their 'cycle'.
We have such similar taste. Except Babel. It was too long but also what an elegant magic system. Katabsis made me want to stab someone. Addie La Rue I made it about 10 pages. Same in Emily Wilde. I was so sad by the end of the second book.
I love this ranking system. I never enjoyed the star system. If I could just leave a review without putting in stars, I'd write a lot more of them. But this... I need to come up with my own, though I may steal some of yours. Brilliant!
Loved Addie Larue and now questioning my emotional depth.
Me too. 😂
So glad I’m not the only person who really disliked TITF. The sudden societal shift to cannibalism did not have enough world building for it to make sense, so the social commentary just came off as heavy handed and blunt.
caaaaaackling at the (completely accurate imo) R.F. Kuang takes
Just caught up with this. A wonderful look at the full spectrum of your books over the year. Credit to the greats and not-greats. Fair and discerning, thoughts about books I haven’t paid attention to, and a great way to rank the books. Simple, clear, and never neutral. This is reason #37 why I follow you. And huge applause for mentioning Tom Robbins, who was Vonnegut-lite but Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was essential reading, along with Moby Dick, while I was hitchhiking around the Southwest in my mid-20s.
I also cared little for Tender is the Flesh, but I haven't read some of the other's on your list. I will now consider some of them based on your quick reactions. I really liked this year review list and how you condensed it this format. Thank you for sharing!
So you didn't like God of the Woods. I loved it. You have an interesting taste in books. I like your rating system.
Sometimes, some books particulalry the "bad kind" inspire the best critical writing.
Perhaps a book genre in itself?
Always thought certain books worth being re-written by a critic.
Would certainly pick such a hybrid book by you!
I read Wizard of Earthsea in 7th grade and still think about it all the time.
Your list sent me back to The Undressing. I read it a couple of years ago and was entranced. What a pleasure to return to the strange, intimate world of these poems. Thank you.
Extremely thrilled to see Oscar Wilde's Fairy Tales and Kelly Link's stories at the top!! And Happily! I loved Happily -- it's basically what inspired me to start my substack. I really really need to read Thistlefoot.
Benedict Cumberbatch also did some of the Rumpole of the Bailey books for BBC Radio. They get re-broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, on BBC Sounds at various times in their 'cycle'.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000j8rb
We have such similar taste. Except Babel. It was too long but also what an elegant magic system. Katabsis made me want to stab someone. Addie La Rue I made it about 10 pages. Same in Emily Wilde. I was so sad by the end of the second book.
I love this ranking system. I never enjoyed the star system. If I could just leave a review without putting in stars, I'd write a lot more of them. But this... I need to come up with my own, though I may steal some of yours. Brilliant!
Yay, someone else who found Addie LaRue completely intolerable! I couldn’t even finish it, which is very rare for me.
I love this list and your ranking categories, even though I don’t completely agree with some of your takes. Please do do it again!
Admire how much you read and your courage in candor.