Meike’s review of Creation Lake > Likes and Comments
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I just finished this and feel disappointed, but can't but my finger on why. I liked The Mars Room a lot but Sadie left me cold which is the point. I enjoyed your insightful review.
Linda wrote: "I just finished this and feel disappointed, but can't but my finger on why. I liked The Mars Room a lot but Sadie left me cold which is the point. I enjoyed your insightful review."
Thank you very much, Linda! I'm also not fully won over by this effort...
Meike, thanks for your review and also Linda who acknowledges your view. Since I was not impressed by her Flamethowers, I will not consider this new novel of hers.
Hanneke wrote: "Meike, thanks for your review and also Linda who acknowledges your view. Since I was not impressed by her Flamethowers, I will not consider this new novel of hers."
Thank you, Hanneke! I have to say that this one is much closer to The Flamethrowers than to The Mars Room, unfortunately.
I'm a little late with this comment, Meike-san, but I think your review was very fair, and I agree the weakest part was the ramblings of Bruno, which didn't really lead anywhere, did they?
Left Coast Justin wrote: "I'm a little late with this comment, Meike-san, but I think your review was very fair, and I agree the weakest part was the ramblings of Bruno, which didn't really lead anywhere, did they?"
Thank you, Justin! Bruno....argh....
I struggled to get 13% into this book. I wanted to like it, to get to know her work, as I’ve heard great things about. But oh man the Bruno bits bore me. Interesting bits of h. Sapiens type info but overboard, as you say. I want to read more Sadie, but think I’ll look elsewhere for that complex woman character/female spy hit. Thanks for yet another great review Meike!
Carrie wrote: "I struggled to get 13% into this book. I wanted to like it, to get to know her work, as I’ve heard great things about. But oh man the Bruno bits bore me. Interesting bits of h. Sapiens type info bu..."
Thank you very much, Carrie!
I haven’t read her previous books but I really enjoyed the quirkiness and unlikeable narrator. Yes the Bruno proselytising was a bit boring but apart from that the plot was very entertaining. Now that I have just finished Endling I would say that i preferred Endling. It is a more balanced novel but still has a similar discombobulation.
Tundra wrote: "I haven’t read her previous books but I really enjoyed the quirkiness and unlikeable narrator. Yes the Bruno proselytising was a bit boring but apart from that the plot was very entertaining. Now t..."
Endling was a different Booker year, so the two never competed, Tundra. Kushner is a great writer, but I found this to be overdone with ideas and hence lacking in execution, but I looooove The Mars Room, it's just so good (and features an unlikeable narrator as well, which I love).
LOl ‘the most unnecessary and blatantly self-serving …’ brilliant. I didn’t enjoy the book either.
cloudybooks wrote: "LOl ‘the most unnecessary and blatantly self-serving …’ brilliant. I didn’t enjoy the book either."
My criticism of the prize is not rooted in who received it though, but in the ridiculous set-up of the prize itself.
I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend" you have known for years, who has accomplished a ton and does things that should be interesting, but when you run into her at a party your stomach drops, and you feel required to take a deep breath and paste on a smile and go over and talk to though it is a chore. Not that the analogy is based on anyone in my real life at all 😉
Meike Excellent review of a book I felt similarly about. Sadie was fun 🤩, Bruno was boring! I saw her at a local reading series I attend. She’s very very smart. She’s thoughtful and fun to listen to, but her writing is not for me I’m afraid. Thank you, as always , for your spot-on reviews.
Bonnie G. wrote: "I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend" you have known for years, who h..."
Hahaha, love that story, Bonnie! :-) And I think that I have to come to terms with the fact that I mostly agree with you: I was really impressed and moved by The Mars Room, but everything else feels heady and lacks intensity.
Royce wrote: "Meike Excellent review of a book I felt similarly about. Sadie was fun 🤩, Bruno was boring! I saw her at a local reading series I attend. She’s very very smart. She’s thoughtful and fun to listen t..."
Thank you very much, Royce! I think I will also be hesitant to pick up the next Kushner, because as you say, she seems super smart, but her writing is not necessarily for me either.
Meike wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend" you have know..."
I have been tempted by the Mars Room, Meike, and I am glad to hear you found it different from the other books. In college interned for about a year and a half in a large prison, and have volunteered helping people with job reentry on release for years, so the topic is of great interest to me.
Bonnie G. wrote: "Meike wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend"..."
Oh, that sounds so interesting, Bonnie! I think The Mars Room is a great book about how a woman ended up in prison - it was the first Kushner I read, so the other ones surprised me! :-)
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Linda
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Oct 15, 2024 02:19PM
I just finished this and feel disappointed, but can't but my finger on why. I liked The Mars Room a lot but Sadie left me cold which is the point. I enjoyed your insightful review.
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Linda wrote: "I just finished this and feel disappointed, but can't but my finger on why. I liked The Mars Room a lot but Sadie left me cold which is the point. I enjoyed your insightful review."Thank you very much, Linda! I'm also not fully won over by this effort...
Meike, thanks for your review and also Linda who acknowledges your view. Since I was not impressed by her Flamethowers, I will not consider this new novel of hers.
Hanneke wrote: "Meike, thanks for your review and also Linda who acknowledges your view. Since I was not impressed by her Flamethowers, I will not consider this new novel of hers."Thank you, Hanneke! I have to say that this one is much closer to The Flamethrowers than to The Mars Room, unfortunately.
I'm a little late with this comment, Meike-san, but I think your review was very fair, and I agree the weakest part was the ramblings of Bruno, which didn't really lead anywhere, did they?
Left Coast Justin wrote: "I'm a little late with this comment, Meike-san, but I think your review was very fair, and I agree the weakest part was the ramblings of Bruno, which didn't really lead anywhere, did they?"Thank you, Justin! Bruno....argh....
I struggled to get 13% into this book. I wanted to like it, to get to know her work, as I’ve heard great things about. But oh man the Bruno bits bore me. Interesting bits of h. Sapiens type info but overboard, as you say. I want to read more Sadie, but think I’ll look elsewhere for that complex woman character/female spy hit. Thanks for yet another great review Meike!
Carrie wrote: "I struggled to get 13% into this book. I wanted to like it, to get to know her work, as I’ve heard great things about. But oh man the Bruno bits bore me. Interesting bits of h. Sapiens type info bu..."Thank you very much, Carrie!
I haven’t read her previous books but I really enjoyed the quirkiness and unlikeable narrator. Yes the Bruno proselytising was a bit boring but apart from that the plot was very entertaining. Now that I have just finished Endling I would say that i preferred Endling. It is a more balanced novel but still has a similar discombobulation.
Tundra wrote: "I haven’t read her previous books but I really enjoyed the quirkiness and unlikeable narrator. Yes the Bruno proselytising was a bit boring but apart from that the plot was very entertaining. Now t..."Endling was a different Booker year, so the two never competed, Tundra. Kushner is a great writer, but I found this to be overdone with ideas and hence lacking in execution, but I looooove The Mars Room, it's just so good (and features an unlikeable narrator as well, which I love).
LOl ‘the most unnecessary and blatantly self-serving …’ brilliant. I didn’t enjoy the book either.
cloudybooks wrote: "LOl ‘the most unnecessary and blatantly self-serving …’ brilliant. I didn’t enjoy the book either."My criticism of the prize is not rooted in who received it though, but in the ridiculous set-up of the prize itself.
I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend" you have known for years, who has accomplished a ton and does things that should be interesting, but when you run into her at a party your stomach drops, and you feel required to take a deep breath and paste on a smile and go over and talk to though it is a chore. Not that the analogy is based on anyone in my real life at all 😉
Meike Excellent review of a book I felt similarly about. Sadie was fun 🤩, Bruno was boring! I saw her at a local reading series I attend. She’s very very smart. She’s thoughtful and fun to listen to, but her writing is not for me I’m afraid. Thank you, as always , for your spot-on reviews.
Bonnie G. wrote: "I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend" you have known for years, who h..."Hahaha, love that story, Bonnie! :-) And I think that I have to come to terms with the fact that I mostly agree with you: I was really impressed and moved by The Mars Room, but everything else feels heady and lacks intensity.
Royce wrote: "Meike Excellent review of a book I felt similarly about. Sadie was fun 🤩, Bruno was boring! I saw her at a local reading series I attend. She’s very very smart. She’s thoughtful and fun to listen t..."Thank you very much, Royce! I think I will also be hesitant to pick up the next Kushner, because as you say, she seems super smart, but her writing is not necessarily for me either.
Meike wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend" you have know..."I have been tempted by the Mars Room, Meike, and I am glad to hear you found it different from the other books. In college interned for about a year and a half in a large prison, and have volunteered helping people with job reentry on release for years, so the topic is of great interest to me.
Bonnie G. wrote: "Meike wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "I have never connected to Kushner. I don't question her talent, I just don't like her voice at all. Honestly, she bores the life out of me. She is like that "friend"..."Oh, that sounds so interesting, Bonnie! I think The Mars Room is a great book about how a woman ended up in prison - it was the first Kushner I read, so the other ones surprised me! :-)
