Ola > Recent Status Updates

Everybody and their mother says this is good, y’all better not have been lying to me

DUDE. I audibly gasped

Oof, that beginning is still as much of a slog to get through as the first time I DNFed this. It gets better around the 20% mark but geez, is the very beginning a bit tough to get into for some reason. I only decided to give this another chance (after 3 years) because I randomly saw a copy while browsing the shelves at my local library. I’m glad I did. Once it gets going, it’s quite compelling.

I like the structure of this book

Intrigued. Patient. Realizing that I had no idea what this was even about but let’s so far so good

Wiesel lectures that the ‘secret’ of Auschwitz’s ‘truth lies in silence.’ Rationally comprehending The Holocaust amounts, in this view, to denying it. For rationality denies The Holocaust’s uniqueness and mystery. And to compare The Holocaust with the sufferings of others constitutes, for Wiesel, a ‘total betrayal of Jewish history’

Geez, this is so good

Finally something is happening

Almost broke down and learnt Korean over the past year waiting for this translation.

Also, the library copy I have is called The Dallergut Dream-Making District. And that seems to be the official release title. Goodreads and StoryGraph need to get it together

I have to take a moment to commend this writing. With so many involved parties, names, technical details, and intertwining event timelines, there was ample potential for this to fumble its pacing and through line. But I’m so engaged and invested, it invokes the same feelings as reading a best selling thriller. Regardless of my thoughts about the content itself, I’m just pleasantly impressed by the storytelling

I’m so frustrated bro. Such wasted potential

I have been meaning to dnf this and yet somehow I’m now 62% in so I might as well finish it at this point. Unless a miracle happens in the latter half, this will be 3 stars at most. It reads stunted and almost juvenile/basic(?) for such an atmospheric premise and setting. The audiobook narration also isn’t doing it any favors tbh, especially Holmes’ chapters

I was deluding myself into believing I can finish the 17hrs left before my Libby hold expires tomorrow but it’s looking like I need to go pick up a physical copy from the library or just cave and get it on Libro fm. I’m just now getting hooked too, smh. As much as I love reading, I hate spending money on books lol. Well, specifically books that I haven’t already finished and love enough to want a personal copy

Fine, I’m team Joey

Interesting tone so far. I don’t know how I feel yet but I am pretty engaged, so. Given how almost all my other anticipated romances of the year have been flops, I’m just glad not to be hating it thus far

I enjoy how real and life-like Marian Keyes characters feel and how grounded in reality her stories are, but given that, am I supposed to be rooting for Joey? Because yeah he’s complex as a character in many ways I appreciate reading about but like, that doesn’t mean I’d like him with Anna at the end of all this, you know?

How could anyone read this and think “yup, romance”???

Okay, shit’s popping off and I’m at work and I have a meeting in 5 minutes that I need to be ready for and I wish I was the kind of person that can cool my expressions but my gagged state is written all over my face and my tiny thinly-veiled gasps and I need a break. Time out

How does she write so well??