Quick Reviews of Books I’ve Read!

Exit West
Mohsin Hamid
I read this immediately following The Goldfinch and the rhythm could not be more different. A staccato writing style that drives quick between plot points. Sometimes I found the rhythm disorienting and difficult to keep up with. A technique utilized to keep me off kilter. The author uses every tool available to paint a portrait of refugees after they have fled. At first glance, the book is very dry, but as I got deeper into the story I was surprised to feel the emotional weight sneak in.

The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt
This has been on my list of books to read for quite some time. I finally picked it up because I thought the movie trailer was striking. An epic story that straddles the line of hope and despair effortlessly. At times overwhelmingly introspective, the story is Dickensian in its crossing of genres. The characters and the environment felt so lived in. Reading it made me feel like I had walked out of my world, like the kid from The Neverending Story, so much so that when I finished the last page it took me more than a few minutes to center myself back in my own world. This is probably one of my favorite books I have ever read. Looking forward to the movie.