Karellen > Recent Status Updates

“It lasts forever then it is over”
This is a very strange novel. I can’t think of anything remotely like it. Unsettling and disturbing.

This must be the 5th book I’ve read by this author, who never disappoints. Although I’m longing for her to write another novel.

Up to Ch VIII of this enormous book, possibly the definitive account of the origins of modern terrorism from the early 70’s onwards. Impressive and authoritative. I might pause for a while to read something lighter.

An incredible book that features all of the key players from the crazy days of the 1970’s when hijackers and extremists terrorised the world. Not only the obvious ones like Carlos the jackal, Baader Meinhof, Leila Khaled but others that contributed to the chaos. In a way this was the beginning of the world we’ve inherited.

Such a great book. I mean we’ve all been there, where the narrator is, that hell that is relationships. Dating. It’s fucking awful. She tells it like it really is. Yeah, such a great book. I’m in awe. 😎

“The majority of people were still invested in the story of happy ever after heterosexuality, the story of love as it’s told in most of western society, the story of homecoming and redemption, of finding your place and your community. People were deeply radically invested in doing what other people wanted for them. “

This is such a cool book that I honestly don’t want to finish it, wish it were longer, so I’m deliberately reading it slower than usual. Savouring the prose. Because it’s just so good. I need to read more of this author.

“She knew somewhere that this was how it worked how you lost control of your life how you let yourself be fooled over and over again by your phantoms and then you woke up one morning hungover at the age of forty three single and largely friendless and without any paths open to you”
Ok it sounds like my life at one point. But in fact it represents a kind of freedom. So my attitude was entirely different to this.

Are they seducing me? What am I, a Deer?
The significance of the title is finally revealed. It’s fairly trivial, in fact.

It’s still excellent. Indeed I’m beginning to think the author is almost on a par with somebody like Rachel Cusk. If the book continues in this vein. Didn’t expect this. Maybe need to get hold of her other books, though this her first fictional outing.

This is such a great read. I’m reading it on kindle but wish I had the paperback instead. In other words I want to own it. I don’t know why that is. Normally I don’t care. Of course none of this matters because there is nobody out there to share this feeling with, which makes me quite sad. The only thing keeping me sane are books like this one.

Here we go again. Another brilliant book from the wonderful Fitzcarraldo Editions. I mean, I don’t even like karaoke. But the writing here is so good, so real. It just grabs you. It seems like this publisher is so reliable, that they never print anything below par. Polly has published two non fiction titles but this is her debut novel. You’d never know. Excellent.

Amazing to think it’s her first novel. Although she’s written a couple of other decent essays. Fitzcarraldo keeps them coming, these breakthrough authors. These unusual and unique writers. Brilliant