As many out there know, I am concerned primarily with fiction, so this account of "The New York Times 100 Most Notable Books Of 2020 List" will cover only those selections, and especially those I feel are worth reading; having not read much on the list yet. Anything already read, will be cited as such, or remarked "to be discussed later,' or a referral to an earlier post.
This should also be a more pictorial post, than textual.
Ready? OK, let's get started.
Here is what I found worth reading from the Fiction List:
1. "The Aosawa Murders," by Riki Onda--The word "murders" alone has me hooked. A potential examination of a family wiped out by what appears to be a Jim Jones massacre? Sounds good to me. I can't wait!
2. "The Beauty Of Your Face," by Sahar Mustafah--Hmmm...murder and terrorism have the potential to be biggies on this list. When a shooter in Chicago guns down a Palestinian school girl, chaos erupts. I am ready for this one!
3. "Beheld," by TaraShea Nesbit--I never heard of the author, nor the novel listed on the jacket, but isn't the design beautiful? This story of the Mayflower pilgrim from the female viewpoint should do for the pilgrims what Miriam Toew's "Talking Women" did for its Amish-like community.
4. "The Boy In The Field," by Margot Livesy--A dead boy's body is found in a field, by three siblings. How do they and their community react, and who killed him! I cannot wait to read this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. "Breasts And Eggs," by Mieko Kawakami--Two sisters from Osaka seek to enlarge their breasts and donate their eggs. What does this mean for them, and for women in society, as well? Sounds fascinating enough for me to find out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. "A Burning," by Megha Majumdas--To be discussed, later.
6. "A Children's Bible," by Lydia Millet--To be discussed, later.
7. "Deacon King Kong," by James McBride--To be discussed, later.
8. "Djini Patrol On The Purple Line," by Deepa Anappara--This first novel by a renowned Indian journalist, and, presumably, set in that country, examines what happens when a young boy tries to solve the mystery of a classmate who disappeared. I am on board for this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9. "The Glass Kingdom," by Lawrence Osborne--A woman on the lam in Bagkok, amid social and political upheaval! Sounds like a saga to me! How can I resist?
10. "Hamnet," by Maggie O'Farrell--To be discussed, later.
11. "Homeland Elegies," by Ayad Akhtar--To be discussed, later.
12. "Luster," by Raven Leilani-- Intriguing cover, and a more intriguing story--a 23 year old New Yorker becomes in enmeshed in the lives of a suburban White couple, with a Black daughter. Sounds like tension and intrigue abound. I have had my eyes on this one for awhile; now I cannot wait!
13. Wow! A man flies to Osaka to care for his terminally ill mother, while back West, in the States, his gay Black boyfriend entertains his lover's mother, on a visit! Sounds tantalizing and engaging. It is actually awaiting me, my shelf pile!
14. "The Mercies," by Kiran Millwood Hargrave--The Vardo Witch Trials, in 17th Century Norway? How have I never heard of them? Put me down for a copy, immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15. "The Mirror And The Light," by Hilary Mantel--How the hell did this make it? Save yourselves the trouble; compared to the last two, I was truly disappointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
16. "Monogamy," by Sue Miller--The death of a book seller, and its impact on wife and children. Sounds moving and literary. I am all set for this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
17. "Real Life," by Brandon Taylor--I read it. Good of kind, but if you have not read it yet, do not go out of your way to do so. Save yourselves the trouble!
18. "Shuggie Bain," by Douglas Stuart--A young Irish lad, growing up, with his alcoholic father in 1980s Glasgow. With my heritage, (Irish, not alcoholics) how can I miss it. It already awaits on my shelf!
19. "Sisters" by Daisy Johnson--A Gothic goldie--two sisters held up in a country house, with a depressed, mentally unstable mother, and trying to mull over secrets from their pasts--this has me written all over it! I cannot wait!
19. "The Vanishing Half," by Brit Bennett--To be discussed, later.
20. "Writers And Lovers," by Lily King-- At first, I did not know if this was a novel, or short story collection. But I kept hearing good things about it. An ex-golf prodigy, now waiter and mother, grieves over her mother's death. Will the creative process save her? I certainly hope so, as I am exercising mine, right now. It is currently on my shelf, awaiting reading.
Well, there you have it. Only 20 out of the books on this fiction list are worth reading. Except the two I just had to save you all from their trouble. Others were two repetitive, and not as interesting as those cited.
Stay tuned for what "The New York Times" chose as their "Top Fiction Five," and my reactions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Read ahead, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Starting “Luster” today!!
ReplyDeleteRun-on sentences. :(
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
I am not clear what you mean.
Is "Luster" comprised of run-on
sentences?
Yes. Lots.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know, sometimes that doesn’t bother me, other times it gets on my nerves.
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
One of my big reading projects
for this year is "Duckberry,
Newport," which is not only
over 1,000 pages, but is said
to be single sentence. Talk
about running on! Let's see
how my nerves stand it. I
actually know some people, who
have read it, and liked it!