Allison’s Comments (group member since Jan 28, 2020)

Allison’s comments from the Read Outside the Box group.

I have never been to Savannah, Georgia and after reading this book, I want to visit! This is a contemporary true crime story, but the details of the crime quickly become simply a footnote in this juicy comedy about life in the gossipy history-steeped town. It is narrated by a vacationing journalist, whose favor is both sought after and evaded by various characters. The author was an editor for New York magazine and a columnist for Esquire, which likely developed his punchy and precise writing style. The book was on the bestseller list for awhile upon publication in 1994, but the events and style of the book feel timeless. This was a plain and simple good story that I would recommend to all readers.

I read this book because it was recommended in a "plague" book club on Facebook. It is a long book, so I figured it wouldn't be cheating too much to double up on its use as assignment. This book takes place in a country I haven't visited, and also in a historical setting but I'm checking it off as a foreign setting. The strange thing is that I'm not totally sure what country it takes place in. The book mentions that it takes place in the Carribean near a river and one of the characters makes trips to New Orleans. I'm sure I could research online and find out where specifically it is set, but I wonder if that would ruin the mystery.
The book has some funny moments, but mostly is a sad epic about unrequited love. My favorite character was a mischievous parrot. Sadly, his part was over in the first thirty pages. This is a classic and well-written piece of literature, but I would not have read it if it were not assigned.

One thing that excites me about this list is that it changes my strategy for finding new reading. I hardly ever simply go to a bookstore or browse Amazon without a clear author or title in mind. "Little Fires Everywhere" was in the recommended fiction based on my history on Amazon. Selecting title having known nothing else about the author felt almost scandalous!
The book delves into a complex drama of an interwoven, but certainly not homogenous, group of characters in an upper class neighborhood in Ohio. I felt her teenage characters were especially well written.
I enjoyed the book, although it isn't a favorite of all time. I look forward to checking out the TV show.

Interesting! I just finished my first book on the list, a book being made into a TV series, which is also by Celeste Ng! I wonder if Amazon is promoting her a lot due to the upcoming Hulu series on her more recent book (which is what I read), Little Fires Everywhere"Little Fires Everywhere". Review forthcoming.