Violetta > Recent Status Updates

Masterful. I've never cried over a cow before.

Every word of this book touches something in my mind or heart. I can already feel this will go on my list of all time faves.

so far this is indeed challenging- my progress is slow since I stop to look up the beautiful and complicated Russian I've never seen or used....but my god...once I got into the rhythm of Aitmatov's writing- it's like i fell back in love with the Russian language. Gorgeous, lyrical, complex- the pulse of it sings!

Hey Will Patton- why did you narrate Holly like that???? It is the most off-putting thing I’ve had to hear in this audiobook, and it’s pretty disturbing.

There’s something about snooping that triggers me, especially snooping through diaries and personal writing. I want to strangle Chess a bit.

You ever listen to an audiobook at 2x speed just to get through it more quickly?

I can already tell this is going to be a magical reading experience. One of those that comes along far too rarely and leaves me with a lasting impression and a feeling in my chest that hurts a little.

I wanna slap the teeth outta bitch-made Runner- omg a character hasn’t made my blood boil this much in a while.

Incredible. Just got to the part where a phd student writes a letter with a question to a folklorist in Russia and includes a carton of cigarettes as a bribe- I actually guffawed.

Wow I’ve never felt so crestfallen so fast about a book I’ve been this excited to read 🫣😬

I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE GOTTEN MY HANDS ON THIS AFTER A LOONG WAIT

I have forgotten how exquisitely charming and funny this book is.

The way the british pronounce croissants is amazing. QUASONTS

I'm really struggling with this audiobook narrator. It's like that kid actor Caitlin Riley parodies is reading this. What is already pretty dry writing is just compounded by the way it's being read.....but I'm gonna try to finish

RIPS HAIR OUT IN FRUSTRATION

SCREAMS IN ABJECT FRUSTRATION

Soooo frustrating! WOMEN! TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!

Bit of a spoiler, here:

The main character is sitting in a car with a potential serial killer and has an opportunity to run away but something he says makes her stop and she absolutely HAS to know what he means. And I absolutely HATE this trope. WHYYYYY do you need to know what he means? WHYYYYY??!!!!

🤢🤮

I can already tell this book is going to make me vomit.

Life pro tip: don't associate with people who say "I won't take no for an answer" more than once in your acquaintanceship. That's a once in 3 years type of phrase. More frequently than that is unacceptable.

My blood pressure is at an all time high. So far, every scene has been super triggering, which obviously speaks to its efficacy. But damn. I need something to let up.

2023 reading goals:
-keep being a spontaneous reader- pick up what’s interesting, available, wild and enjoyable. this is the strategy that allowed me to read more in 2022 than I had in a long time
-dnf more
-read at least 2 books in Russian
-add non-fiction, poetry, and short stories into the mix
-don’t get competitive