Welcome to Litsy!

The Writer‘s Library starts with an interview with Lethem and its great. This book came up, so I thought I‘d give it a try. I gave up at the 20% mark. The audiobook is awful but, honestly, I don‘t think I would have continued in print, either.

I bailed because of the horrible narrator, but other Litsy reviews make me wonder if I would have anyway. I'll try to put further explanation in the comments. [Litsy isn't playing nice with me today.]

I cannot recall the last time a novel made me feel so.... stupid. I am really struggling with this one.

Started out feeling like old-fashioned noir, then planted info about 2016 election to nail down timeline. It felt shallow. Violence, sex, and neanderthals aren‘t what I was looking for but thanks. Also, some of the actions taken by a severely wounded man would be medically impossible.

I hope this gets better. So far, the tone doesn‘t fit the time. Also, it is trying to be quirky and edgy at the same time and failing.

I didn‘t get far into this book before I bailed. The characters‘ behavior was off putting from the start, and I couldn‘t imagine spending with them.

Heroine goes looking for a runaway in off the grid desert communities.

Ha!

1. Libra ♎
2. Getting an increase at work! 💰
3. Tagged is my most recent
4. Book club actually!
5. @BoleyBooks @BooksbyBJThompson @MirandaLeighBee 👋

@howjessreads #friyayintro

I tried. I really did. I just couldn't connect. The dialogue upset me instead of engaging me. The main character foot on my nerves. I am sure there are people who love this book, but I wasnt one of them.

Love that my boyfriend loves reading with me. Took sometime yesterday to hit a brewery and read together.

1. Got this one in a giveaway, so I'm giving it a shot. 📖
2. May be going to a concert tomorrow, definitely going to a brewery event Saturday and our traditional family lunch Sunday 🍀🍀
3. My sister did once and I've been jealous ever since
4. No
5. @kricheal 👋

@wanderinglynn #hellothursday

This was weird and I liked it. He has a masterful grasp of the absurd. The lemur has nothing to do with the book but I had fun petting it.

I love other Jonathan Lethem books, but this one left me cold. Likeability isn't mandatory in a protagonist, but Phoebe, the narrator of this story, was so self-absorbed, irritating, and blabbermouthed that I just wanted it all to be over, already. Which is too bad, because taking her out of the equation, the story of a missing college student, an enigmatic detective, and opposing bands of desert survivalists might have been an interesting one.

One of the best parts of a bookseller‘s job is seeing titles that I‘ve read and loved come into the shop for the first time. Here are two of my favorites this year. Please ignore the grumpy, uncomprehending review of Feral Detectives in the NYTimes. The Washington Post got it right though.

I‘ve had some good luck with my last few audiobook selections. The Feral Detective is a great story. It‘s original and smart yet dark and consuming. If you like stories of the bizarre, listen to this one. I‘ve listened to over 70 audiobooks this year, and The Feral Detective makes its case for the top spot. Don‘t give up on the narrator. It takes a moment to get used to her style, but she‘s fantastic. Overall rating: 4.76 stars

Currently devouring. Loving it so far. I have sorely missed crime fiction Lethem

Motherless Brooklyn out as a movie next year...that and the desert and how things changed after the election... Book comes out Tuesday

https://ew.com/books/2018/11/02/jonathan-lethem-feral-detective-interview/

The only complaint I have about this book is that his female main character‘s word choice felt too masculine. But otherwise, this book rocks. I laughed out loud multiple times. It‘s so smart and layered while also just being really fun. Out in November.

Lethem seems to like dabbling in various genres and borrowed voices, Dissident Gardens sort of reminded me of Doctorow‘s Book of Daniel this one has a bit of Inherent Vice to it maybe?