(I do not rate memoirs.)
While I always appreciate the vulnerability of authors who write memoirs, not all memoirs work in general and for me as a reader. This memoir is one of the latter. Brogan shares her personal, long lasting struggles with addiction, as well as her struggles with her relationship with her parents, specifically her mother. This memoir comes from her MFA thesis and clearly shows its origins in fiction writing, the MFA. The prose is beautiful but often times confusing and difficult to chart the through-line. The last section, the section that describes her life in recovery, passes so quickly and leaves the reader wanting. This memoir is well written, but not really one that I particularly enjoyed the experience of reading.
While I expected a middle grade level novel, I think this book is geared for younger readers, readers in the 3rd to 5th grade. Thus, I feel not as equipped to write a review since I tend to not read books from this age group. That being said, this book, less than 150 pages, felt short and under developed, but not bad. I think that readers in the target demographic would probably enjoy the read but I am not in that target demographic.
I am so glad that I gave this series a second chance. I realized, after finishing the first book in the series, that I had paid for less attention to the book as I was reading then it deserved, and thus did not feel much one way or the other about the book. This time, I made sure to fully engage as I read. The narrator did a really good job. I also enjoyed the way that the author wove together, the two seemingly desperate stories in a believable and compelling manner. Although not groundbreaking, I definitely enjoyed my time with this book and will continue in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed the third book in this series. Robert Jackson Bennett did a spectacular job weaving together a frankly horrific type of bio weapon for this bio punk fantasy. He also continues to develop both of the main characters, in this one bringing in one of Din’s family members. I am so glad that it appears that we will get more books in this series because Jackson Bennett has created a fantastic world. I also absolutely loved the way that he explained in his author’s note the inspiration behind the bio weapon and how he made this a commentary on the modern world.
This memoir is utterly heartbreaking and incredibly compelling. ElGendy writes beautifully and draws the reader into his experience in a remarkably visceral way. He puts into perspective, the precarious nature of so much of life and so many areas of the world, which should make people in the western world incredibly grateful for the rights that we have. I also became infuriated when ElGendy described his hurried departure from the United States because of the absolute bigotry and ridiculousness of the current administration. I wholeheartedly recommend this memoir.
(I do not rate memoirs.)
I enjoyed my reading experience with this memoir. Jackson shares her life with earnest realness and optimism. She is such a tenacious, brilliant woman, well deserving of a seat on the highest court in the land. In this memoir, she shares the experiences that made her into the talented and skilled jurist that she is as well as the things that she and her husband learned from and grew from, such as their daughter’s diagnosis with autism, which makes her extremely relatable and human. I hope that in years to come, she gets the opportunity to write decisions for the majority, decisions based on the law, not ideology, as she so richly deserves.
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