Funny Boy

I’m always interested in a view of Sri Lanka after falling in love with Michael Ondaatje, and this does offer that, if not much else to distinguish itself from other coming of age queer stories, just another set of being different and realization of what that interest is, and veiled sexualities of supporting characters.

3/5

Zami

Lourde is a poet, so it’s not surprising that Zami is often poetic. It’s lucky, actually, because that poetic musing is about the only thing that saves it from being yet another autobiography that carefully tells the reader all about the author’s sex and love life.

3/5

Cereus Blooms at Night

Taylor, you say, seriously, what’s with all the incest you’re reading? I know, young comrades, I know, I’m curious about the link between queer fiction and incestuous subplots myself. But luckily, this moves out of the “queerqueerqueerINCEST” trope it has fallen into, if only because its written beautifully, if, perhaps, the subject matter isn’t exactly to my taste. Again.

3/5

Elle

This is yet another new take on Robinson Crusoe, but a woman and in Canada! Hooray! The only thing that keeps this from only being yet another take on Crusoe is the fact there is a nice, sharp sense of humour to this that separates it from the others.

3/5

Dance Dance Dance

This probably shouldn’t have been my first outing with Murakami, as it seems to be a fairly minor work of his, but I was interested in his style, if not in the little suspense story woven in, one that I figured out fairly early (me! Who never figures out any suspense ending!), and if not his wanderings into the world of the sheep man. But I liked his writing enough to give him a chance on something that has nothing to do with hotels haunted with sheep men. I think.

3/5

Dubliners

I was so giddy to actually finish something by James Joyce, even though I know this is absolutely nothing like Ulysses in either style or function. What it is, is a telling little portrait of Dublin, rife with pederasty and poverty and mean-spiritedness, mostly, but sometimes nice things, maybe, sometimes.

3/5

Animal Farm

Maybe I would have liked this better if I'd read it in my formative years like everyone else I know. It's certainly a classic for a reason, and its implications haven't lost their weight, though a good amount of the allusions to communism don't hold up as much in modern times. I get where everyone who loves it is coming from? I have just read one too many "communism is bad!" tracts. Not that I disagree! But I can only agree for so long before I become one of those damned sheep.

3/5

Identity

Identity isn't as strong as the other Kundera works I've read, partly because of the unlikeable nature of the protagonists, a common occurrence in Kundera's works but one that is much more fundamental here, and, it seems, much less satirical. This is just people fucking up badly while trying to fix things, and I've never been very good at watching trainwrecks. Despite this, as always, Kundera remains immensely readable.

3/5

A Boy's Own Story

White's sort of autobiography is interesting, particularly in the way he doesn't build himself up in any way, however, it's not particularly memorable. Already a lot of the details are fading, only a couple weeks later, and the only thing that distinguishes it is that instead of echoing a bildungsroman, it ends fairly early, oh, and has gay sex. And stuff.

3/5

Sexing the Cherry

I was excited by this, as I'd love Winterson's previous outing, however, there were serious issues in this narrative. The first, and most irritating, was the use of two point-of-views, a choice that would not bother me had Winterson differentiated the voices used. As it is, however, it is impossible to immerse yourself in a story when every time the point of view alters, you spend several pages trying to decide who is speaking.

3/5

Rachel Getting Married

I have a really problem watching people embarrass themselves, which made Rachel Getting Married the rough equivalent of a horror film to me at times. Despite that, it’s a great film, certainly a retread of other indie “the addict/eccentric comes and ruins everything” films, of which I can name many. However, it’s a well done version of that cliché, and Anne Hathaway really was fantastic in it.

3.5/5

One Good Story, That One

I really, really enjoyed Green Grass, Running Water, and I always have a soft spot for short stories, so I picked this up. The good news is that it reminds me of his novel. The bad news is that it reminds me of his novel a lot. There are stories that are practically recycled, they’re so close, and while I did enjoy it, I wasn’t quite sure why King decided it was a good idea to plagiarize himself.

3/5

9

I could have guessed pretty much every single plot point of this film far before they occurred, but that wasn’t really the point of this film. The plot was a typical kid’s adventure sort of thing, with a darker edge, but it’s the animation you should watch it for. It’s a staggeringly beautiful dystopia, with such attention given to the landscape that it’s worth it just to watch that.

3.5/5

Up in the Air

This was well done, if a little empty. The humour is well executed, cameos are funny, Clooney is, as always, a likeable rogue, and I was pleased they did not end with the easy, annoying happy ending. But, like Reitman's Thank You For Smoking and Juno, there isn't much substance under the surface.

3/5

Who Do You Think You Are?

A well-woven collection of short stories, loosely chronological, with the same protagonist. Early, the stories have a brutal quality, with devastating moments thrown in almost casually. Unfortunately, as the protagonist grows, there are fewer and fewer of these moments. Regardless, it is worth reading for the picture of frustrated poverty it paints in te beginning, even if the picture fades later.

3/5

The Stranger

While The Stranger didn’t hit me as a masterpiece, which it is frequently touted as, it is a well-developed, tight little character study, written in unpretentious, spare prose. I did enjoy it, though I still cannot stand when stories are written from the point of view of a detached narrator. What’s the fun if there’s no emotion in it?

3/5

First Love and Other Novellas

Samuel Beckett upsets me with his abilities. These were originally in French, Beckett’s second language, though I read the versions translated by him. And even in translation, they have a flow and style that feels unique, and very Beckett. Beckett loves the destitute and the men who never quite fit in, and he does them wonderful service in these four tiny stories, each containing much more than that which their page count would attest. These are dense, and they are lovely. However, Beckett does fall down occasionally, and eventually these stories began to blend, as Beckett sticks quite closely to themes. While he is a great stylist, he should look into a new subject sometime.

3.5/5

The Diviners

There is nothing wrong with Margaret Laurence’s The Diviners. But I can’t quite enjoy myself. While the story is interesting, and the characters sympathetic, I can never entirely embrace the novel. And around page five-hundred, when it has worn out its welcome, it comes to such a neat little closure, everything fitting together, that I can’t help but feel bored.

3/5

Orlando

I wasn’t expecting to like this; it’s an extremely political film, to the point of bordering on manifesto, and centres on a supremely obnoxious character. And yet, I did like it. I really did. Reality and film blends, person and character blends, and it’s such an intelligent, but delightful romp, that I really couldn’t help enjoying it.

3/5

The Picture of Dorian Gray

This was my second time reading Wilde’s magnum opus, and it stands up well to a second reading. Wilde writes fiction in a lush, heady manner, immersing the reader in the aesthetics he espouses via his characters. There is so much talent put into this it is insane. However, despite all this, I still can’t entirely fall into this book; I always remain at the edges, far too alert for my own good.

3.5/5