Well you are the first person on YT that I have seen fess up to having a changing taste. I am 55 yrs old and let me just say that the more years/experiences in your life added with the additional weirdness of the world in general makes me less inclined to say-I am going to read this because its popular or its what I used to like. I think the Goldfinch taught me that. Honing in on odd genre branches has made most of my choices mostly 4s and 5s, and makes me spend almost as much time choosing the books as reading them. I loved this video (and your others too) and wish you lived next door to me-
As a 40+ reader with a preference for Genre Fiction (speculative fiction, speculative romance, romance), I backed out of beginning a BA Creative Writing that I started in 2020 - which I began for myself as something to do with the kids at school. Hated reading Literary Fiction, and couldn’t for the life of me connect with my lecturers who read Literary Fiction to study the art of writing rather than reading for escapism… so, changed my degree to Communications in Digital Media, which is writing, but protecting my joy of reading genre fiction for escapism. Perhaps it’s because Im in my 40’s and not in my 20’s, I have no patience (or F**ks) for books that trigger me, bore me, enrage me.
I had a very similar experience - I used to go for a lot of serious literary fiction when I was younger but the older I get and the more I deal with actual serious issues in my real life the less patience I have for books that don't bring me at least some measure of joy.
I really appreciated your thoughts on literary fiction at large, and in particular your thoughts on difficult content (I’ve struggled to put into words and you so eloquently did here). As someone also turning 35 soon, I’ve noticed my ability to consume upsetting content has rapidly decreased (whereas younger me could handle all sorts of horrors). Thanks for such a quality video
I generally do not like vlogs but I watched this one from beginning to end. It was so interesting and I enjoyed your perspective, especially your deep dive into understanding more about what types of literary fiction your like and dislike and why. Definitely would love to see more of this tyoe of content on your channel.
I actually didn’t like a little life at all but i think that I’m in the minority. I purchased To paradise but seeing reviews i think I’m going to take it back and get something else
I get it-- work, pandemic, grief and a myriad of other life events (good and bad) affect my reading. When things are falling apart around me, I reach for my cozy mysteries-- I need the satisfaction of a puzzle that can be resolved in 250-300 pages, and for that, I am willing to trade off on writing quality, plot, etc. I suspect short stories work because they can be tied up with a bow quickly-- but without the compromise in writing quality.
I’m in my early sixties and you are exactly right. I think reading tastes can’t help but change. For me, it’s both related to how I have changed and evolved over time as well as how society has progressed (or not). Also, though, I’ve learned to allow my mental health to shape my reading to a much greater degree and not pressure myself about it. By the time the pandemic hit I was basically down to fantasy and cozy mysteries with occasional hits of literary fiction. Immediate TBR, maybe, The Love Songs of W. E. B. duBois, A Three Dog Problem, and Jade War. BTW, just finished The Maid this morning and really enjoyed both the mystery and the voice.
I loved A little Life, though I don’t think I should have read it, would not recommend it to a soul, and don’t think I’d ever read from Hanya Yanagihara again. I was not aware of booktube at the time and had never heard of it before, the back gave me no indication of what it was about (plus I’m in the UK so the cover didn’t clue me in either) so I hadn’t the faintest idea what I was getting into. I was beginning to come out of the worst depressive episode of my life (not the best time to pick the book up) and let’s just say that I did have an ED relapse afterward. A couple of the characters were (imo) exceptional and I suppose it validated and put into words how I had been feeling. Maybe it was cathartic? I will say that I never understood the fuss about the prose and all I’ve read since (2-3 years?) is high fantasy and romance. I will read rough going stuff (eg Hobb!) but only in fantasy. Maybe that’s what I would have ended up doing anyway, maybe not. Either way I won’t be reading To Paradise! I don’t have a problem with A Little Life or including triggering content in art, but I do think it needed some sort of warning (Something Yanagihara disagrees with), I had no idea what it was, and I know that I’m not the only one it (dangerously?) affected. Anyway, I’ve rambled! But I really enjoyed this vlog ;). I also love when the title shows up in the book (“A Little Life” was also in the text, and my God was it a gut punch).
I think my biggest issue with these types of books is so often their main pitch seems to be 'what if....characters. And what if...sad.' And like, I can get those things from plenty of other books and genres that do character development and emotional depth (not to mention other story elements) much better imo 🤷🏻♀️ also St. Aubyn's writing style definitely sounds like Too Much! loved the vlog as always!
So interesting regarding the changes as an older adult with life being experienced, because then books become the need to be entertaining too. I must say, I find it to be the same. Younger me was much more cerebral and snooty and right now, life is kicking me so I want just some rest and joy😊
Total transparency time. .. I don’t tend to read this kind of literary fiction because I am scared I won’t “get” it. Whether that be the writing as a whole, the literary components, maybe even the message that is intended. I read an average of one hundred books a year, am in my mid (okay, late) 40s and have let that fear rule my reading my entire life. Of course, I read the required books in both high school and college and never had a problem. I have tackled a few (very few, like embarrassingly few) classics and some literary fiction, also with total comprehension and some enjoyment, too. I honestly can’t say why I have this phobia against the genre. I love that you are trying this as a way to find out why your reading preferences have changed. I also like the way you referenced life experiences possibly being part of the cause. I wish I could find out my reason, too, because I would bet I am depriving myself of some wonderful reads!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
gosh, i used to feel exactly like that, and sometimes still do! despite being a voracious reader for decades „literary fiction“ made me nervous, scared me that i‘d feel dumb for „not getting it“. but i have since found out that in that category, just like in any other, there are duds. or at least books that are not to my taste simply because i don‘t like the prose/theme/plot (or lack of)/characterizations (or lack of) etc. in other words: it‘s not me, it‘s them. or at least them for me. 😉 if you want to give literary fiction another go, may i suggest some of my all-time favorites: „last night at the lobster“ by stewart o‘nan; „olive kitteridge“ by elizabeth strout; „summerwater“ by sarah moss. they are all on the short side, with clear prose, strong character development and engaging plot/storyline. maybe you‘ll discover a whole new genre that‘s just waiting for you to dig into. happy reading! monica 📚📚📚 ps: love your (screen)name 👌🏻
I think most people can relate! Anytime something is perceived as "Art" and you personally don't like it or don't get it, it's easy to feel like it's a reflection on your own intelligence or depth rather than just... not every work works for everyone
I want to see part two! Thanks for reading To Paradise, I was thinking of reading, but just took it off my TBR. I get intimidated with that large of book and don't want to read something large i wont' like
thank you so much for exploring your taste! i am struggling to find my own reading taste again. i'm using a mood / theme readalike finder through my library to see if i can find a five star read, but its been a long time since i've read a favourite.
Sounds like a good experiment to check in with your self and reflect on how your taste have changed. I might try this with YA books or mainstream publications of romance, never know.
The software development part is what I hear from Rhyan all the time and I am so sorry you had one of those weeks! Also have been really curious about everyone's thoughts on To Paradise so thanks for bringing us along on that journey!
To preface: I have not read any Yanagihara, so I guess grains of salt. I *love* literary fiction and “thinky” tomes about just people living their lives, so she’s an author that theoretically I should like, but I just cannot with the way I’ve heard she handles certain topics and characters. Especially regarding trauma (because oh boy does her work sound so trauma porn-y) and LGBTQIA+ characters. (And it doesn’t sound like she handles criticism well, either, so there’s that.) Regarding To Paradise, I’ve heard the first book is riddled with slurs about Black and Native peoples and I just don’t have the time or space for that. It’s 2022; we don’t have to read for historical accuracy regarding slurs, thanks. Especially when it’s an alternative history. That tension you mentioned can be included without racism, I think. Obviously, not having read it, I can’t say this is true for certain, but it’s enough to make me just not want to read it. I lived for parisperusing’s updates on instagram when he was reading it, and the things he pointed out just made me go ~nope~. Anyway, this is to say, I think there is brilliant literary fiction out there. I don’t think Yanagihara’s works are that for me. Loved this longer video and discussion, though!
This was fun to see your journey with these books, even though only one of them seemed really fun for you to read. I have also changed my habits and taste when it comes to literary fiction, since my post-college time. I think post-college I am more inclined to pick up nonfiction for some of the things I once went to literary fiction for (harder hitting topics and discussion of the human experience, social commentary, etc.). A very well-written piece of nonfiction often does those things better, in my opinion. I also just think literary fiction as a genre has been more saturated with wealthy white men and women and their takes on these things, and I just don’t care for that too much. It seems like a genre that has been slower to prioritize different voices and different perspectives and that is frustrating to me (and pretty boring).
I'm loving all of the vlogs lately! I like literary fiction when I'm in the mood, but it's not one of my regular go-to genres. I read a lot more of it when I was in high school, but since watching your channel and getting into other booktube content I've branched out a lot. I've read a lot of romance and mystery since I started watching your channel, and now I just prefer the variety of my reading diet over always reading books that I think are "good for me." Thanks for the inspiration 😉☺
I love that you're exploring how your tastes have changed - some really interesting introspection here! My tastes have changed from my late teens/early twenties to late twenties even. I used to read a lot more literary fiction, classics, and historical fiction, and now it's much more genre-focused (scifi has been a mid-late 20s discovery) with some shifts within types of genres as well. The literary fiction I do still read tends to come from different perspectives now, rather than the traditional white male authors that I used to almost exclusively read. I've also broadened the types of books too (short stories, novellas, graphic novels, etc.).
Hahah I also work in tech and greatly appreciated your work rant interlude. Especially the part about calling out teams for never really being agile. It’s so true!! I say it all the time 😂🤣😂
Oh and also I did appreciate the book reviews too! Even if you didn’t like them. I just love listening to people talk about books and when it’s not a huge rave, it’s almost a relief that I don’t feel tempted to add another book to my tbr 🙃
Really good video, thanks for sharing it. I especially liked your point about how classic works of literary fiction are often striving to entertain even as they do great character work and employ beautiful prose (Dickens is a great example, Jane Austen is another one). It made me think of how literary fiction sets itself apart from (or above as some would have it) genre fiction because why? It doesn't care about such wordly things as telling a good yarn? Why can't it be both? Well, whatever the reason, it seems to me that trying to avoid elements of entertainment altogether, almost as a requirement, limits literary fiction. This was not something I had been able to put my finger on before, because I do enjoy a lot of classic literary fiction and couldn't understand why the newer stuff was less successful for me. I would definitely enjoy watching a round 2!
Such an interesting video and seeing your thoughts on these and reading taste changes! Also on your work stuff - no gos at the last minute are SO INFURIATING! I understand your pain haha. Hopefully things get sorted out on the project! 🤞
I feel your work pain! Supposed Agile that isn't, UAT that doesn't work after unit testing, QA etc....., Go-NoGo decisions, and then the justification, finger-pointing and all the attendant mess that goes along with it. Hope things improve!
I respect the viewpoint of readers who feel they can't judge a story about a homosexual character, for example, if they are not homosexual themselves, because it shows great intentions, but I disagree with it. The way I look at it is that I don't need to be a murderer in order to evaluate an Agatha Christie plot. There is no attempt with that analogy to equate morally neutral homosexuality with murder, but I wished to use an extreme point to make my analogy clearer.
For me, as a public reviewer, I increasingly err on the side of not saying rep is bad if that's my experience, because if someone who is in that group did enjoy the rep, I feel like it's not my place to invalidate that. That said, I probably would feel differently if I wasn't reviewing publicly. For me, the rep in this for gay men was not great, but if an actual gay man enjoyed it... who am I to contradict that experience
I think it kind of depends on if the homosexuality is incidental to the point or if the story is trying to say something about the gay experience; likewise if the critique is directly about the gay aspects or about more general relationship points. So for example, I think it’s fair for a heterosexual reader to say “the chemistry between these characters didn’t feel authentic” or similar critique, but not “this isn’t a good representation of a gay experience.”
Your facial expressions while you were reading To Paradise were cracking me up 😂. I have zero interest in this book but was interested in your thoughts. The cats also seemed unimpressed 🙂. On the plus side I read Magpie Murders today based on your rec in a previous vlog and really enjoyed it so thanks! ❤️
Absolutely hated "A Little Life." It was so overtly tragic to the point of being comedic. Something about Yanagihara's obsession with torturing and then "saving" gay men has never sat right with me. It has nothing to do with her identity, it's just odd how fixated she is on that theme. Plus, I feel like people were so swept up by the trauma plot that they didn't notice that the writing is mediocre at best and often downright boring.
I know right? I hated the book too. I had to put it down when she made up a horrible disease for a five year old to suffer and die from when there were any number of other ways to kill him off. it was that little bit of extra nonsense that made me go 'this sucks'
@@emilym.634 see there are so many tragic things happening that I forgot about that one 😂 There are so many ways to write gay characters as a straight author, but she clearly has a fetishistic thing for them. Vulture had a great article explaining how she sees herself as a love interest in the novels, there to be her characters savior
@@katerina6228 that does not surprise me one bit. As I read the book I just got the same vibe I would get reading a stupid m/m grimdark fanfiction! And yeah I don't object to straights writing gay characters but for fuck's sake, please don't write your books with one hand down your pants
@@emilym.634 Yes! Grimdark m/m fanfiction was exactly the vibe I got reading reviews and synopses of A Little Life! 😩 One that mistook trauma for profundity or thematic weight! Because these works are usually written by angsty 16 year olds, but for some reason, adult professional authors can make a career of this too. Does Yanagihara identify as straight? I have not read any of her interviews or profiles.
The Churchill and Pemberly cozy mysteries are exactly what I read just for relaxation, so funny and witty ! Also, on a different category, if you have not read The Count of Montecristo, I think you will love it, very specially the first third part of the book, it was my favourite, the time he was in prison, very inspiring really. Saludos desde México !!!
this is so interesting to see you talk about positive reviews of to paradise, you're certainly not the only one who disliked it though because i have seen nothing but people picking apart how contrived / badly written this novel was.. i think vulture specifically has an interesting article in which it's also mentioned that review copies were only sent out to people who would seem to have a positive opinion on the book, instead of more broadly (idk-part of me gets that as an ad campaign thing but it is really interesting to me as well)
I loved hearing your thoughts on how your tastes have changed especially regarding what genres you tend to gravitate towards. I mostly read literary fiction but find it’s so important for my reading to keep things varied whether that’s by reading mysteries, romance, classics … I’m cringing thinking about only ever reading contemporary literary fiction!! 😬 Can’t wait for part two of this series! My recs for you from books I read in the last year that are more ‘feel good’ or emotionally satisfying literary fiction would be: Mr Loverman by Bernardino Evaristo, Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, the Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw … and even though the Neapolitan Novels can be really heavy I find them so emotionally satisfying and incredible character driven.
A great experiment! And while I tend to agree that reading tastes change throughout the decades, living through this pandemic has put extra pressure on us all, and of itself have changed your taste for literature. I know it has for me. The question that can't be answered get is whether my reading will change back after life settles down or if my taste has changed for good.
Mara - maybe you could consider reading more 'literary' romantic novels? I'm thinking Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan, a book that has been very much hyped. Think a reading vlog on that would be super interesting. :)
I work in software development as well, and man I feel your pain! 😅 I have also had the added bonus of deploying regardless and keeping the functionality dormant in Prod, only to have to clean up everything a year later because it's not going to be used 😭
I thought you might appreciate my twitter post from yesterday "I used to love really sad stories, with no HEA at all (romantically or otherwise) . With everything going on now though, I still appreciate stories with depth, they just don't have to be so heartbreaking, And I even like totally fluffy books once in awhile, I carry multitudes."
I enjoy literary fiction when there's a fantasy/sci-fi/horror twist. Straight contemporary literary fiction is a really hard sell for me. It was interesting to see your thoughts!
I know my reading tastes have changed over the past couple years, and I attribute that to watching BookTube. I was so restrictive with what I was reading but now that I've tried out different genres (M/M romance, adult fantasy, just to name a few), I feel more satisfied with what I'm reading.
I am 66 and my taste in reading has changed many times throughout my life. As a teen and young adult, I loved historical fiction and thrillers. Now I don’t like either. I went through a time where I only read light women’s fiction and YA. It is maybe because I was a teacher and a single parent. I am now retired and starting to want more substance in my reading. After my second child was born I was given “It” to read. I actually threw that book away!
as a writer of literary fiction, but also as a fan of genre fiction as well, I found this very interesting and helpful how readers may encounter my work. and listen, I love a good imaginative simile, but "like a spine in the hands of a confident osteopath" is very funny to me
I generally don't care for literary fiction. I read A Little Life and wondered 🤔 where this "masterpiece " was that everyone else was reading. I seriously disliked it. Trauma porn is an Excellent description for it. So I wasn't interested in To Paradise at all. I like when books have their titles in as part of the prose of the book, but only when it's in a cozy or scifi romance so it's meant more comically/ironically. Otherwise it comes off as 🧀 to me. 😆 Your 🐈. Love it-Cuddled up in bed or commandeering the heating vent. All hail Robin Hobb 👏 . Literary Fiction and Historical Fiction usually just bore 😴 me. I'll stick to Ilona Andrews, Agatha Christie, Robert Crais, Kresley Cole, and my usual suspects. Guess, I'll just be low-brow and not read "Literature ". 🎩
‘It is possible I’m dumb’ 😂 I was just thinking that while reading the Echo Wife, the science around clones in that book…doesn’t really make sense to me 😅 either the math doesn’t math or I’m just dumb
I was gutted by A little life so I can't wait to read this book. But I must say that don't read a lot of literary fiction, because most of the time the 'deep message' doesn't reach me or I find it a bit too difficult to fully enjoy (so it could be a 3 star as highest score, very middle of the road) and I read it also mostly for my bookclub. So I'm very interested in what you think about this book, you always explain it so properly why it worked or didn't work.
Like you☺ I used to read much more Literary Fiction than I do now . The older I get the more I appreciate a story that doesn't totally traumatize me. I still like to learn stuff when reading tho so now what I mostly go for is 'Intellectual Genre Fiction', mostly Mysteries. Is that a category?
Look great! I’m 36 shhh 🤫 making me feel older! 🤣 we can share in being older booktubers 🤷🏻♀️ I feel like most booktubers are in their 20’s. I just bought A Little Life. I never buy a new book on a whim like that! I felt that it was big needed the physical book and I hope I’m right that it will be good! Lol
Wise call, To Paradise probably isn’t the best gauge of whether or not you like literary fiction. I read a bit of everything and follow several BookTubers who solely read literary fiction and have seen several less than stellar reviews from them on this book. Even those who have loved A Little Life and The People in the Trees aren’t loving this book. I agree that the literary fiction I love, like The Summer That Melted Everything, brings me some enjoyment in addition to having strong writing and themes.
I have worked in IT as a consultant for 20 years. No truer words have been said than "nobody fully does agile". I died laughing from that. And have totally been there for a pulled back go-live. We had to do that on an upgrade recently and, 4 months later, still not live. I feel your week from hell and I hope the project is doing better. Also, I'm not a huge fan of contemporary fiction. I've tried over the years but they rarely hold my interest. My brain likes what it likes and I no longer have to read for school, so I'm going to read what I want and makes me happy.
My reading tastes have also changed over my lifetime. I think it would be hard not to experience some change in what you prefer. It's all a part of growth, not for the worse or better. Just different priorities and interests. I went through a time when I was trying to "better my mind," and read more modern literature. I found my enjoyment of reading took a dive during that time. So, happily I don't do as much of that these days. I love genre fiction and women's fiction, and so that's what I concentrate on. At the risk of sounding stupid, one thing I want to ask is about the phrase you were constantly using in your description of Melrose's book. You said something like "child assay"? I'm not sure I was hearing that right. I googled it and still don't have a clue.
@@woonsckt Thank you. I didn't realize that Mara was using initials. I knew what she was referencing, but I didn't understand why it wasn't just said, i.e,. child sexual abuse.
@@sassycatz4470 yes it’s a bit confusing, I’ve heard content warnings for books said this way but work in the mental health field and we use the term unabbreviated. Glad to help!
I just found your channel and subbed, you have a refreshing clarity as goes booktube. 🤓 I like this experiment regarding how one's taste changes over time. I took a peek at To Paradise on Amazon and I would not buy this book just based on the awkwardly worded and pedestrian writing--it lacks life. That reviewer you mentioned seems to have pretty low standards for being wowed. The writing in Olaf was less clunky but still seems undeveloped, perhaps needing some thematic editing. Would read it from library but not buy it. Agree with your take on Patrick Melrose--writing is weak, could use tight editing. Couldn't see the book content for BOALP on Amazon but taking your word for it. Aight. 🤓
I thought "A Little Life" was an absolutely unbearable novel. The real subject of that book was the sadistic relationship the author had with her readers. After a while all I could feel was resentment toward the writer and I have no desire to read her new one.
I keep collecting Hanya Yanagihara's books because everything she writes so utterly appeals to me but I've yet to read anything by her 😂 this one once again super caught my eye so I was all set to add it to my unread Hanya pile but you give me pause.....
I would kind of agree with your takeaway, especially given the rise of "autofiction" there's a big chunk of litfic with basically no tension or stakes. I would totally want to see another round however you opt to do it. Also 99% sure you would enjoy Women Talking by Miriam Toews given your interests in theology and faith, as well as feminism, so if you wind up looking for new options to try I'd love to see that.
I normally rate series as a whole but the books in the Patrick Melrose series were so wildly inconsistent in impact that I rated them individually. Most of them were a miss for me - St. Aubyn's writing is not for me, I think - but I rated the first and the fourth the highest. As for Hanya Yanigahara and "A Little Life", I had MANY more issues than I did with Patrick Melrose. Two stars and that second star was me being generous because there weren't any major grammar or formatting issues. Do not recommend.
If it's not humorous lit fic I don't want anything to do with it. I really liked John Irving once upon a time - not sure if I would get on with his stuff now but I think it's possible. These hopeless, dire explorations of humanity don't sound appealing at all. I appreciated what you said about art & the exploration of difficult subjects - something I think about often.
Maybe the fact of wanting to be entertained is what mostly has always put me off contemporary literature--- I never knew why it mostly didn't click with me, but maybe that is the answer. I get the impression that contemporary literary fiction is to me mostly the literary equivalent of Oscar-bait, often. I haven't read A Little Life myself, but, from the things my friends that actually read it told me & the vibes I get, it seems to be the type of... emotionally manipulative kind of tearjerker that I do not appreciate. As for the Patrick Melrose one, the part that you read aloud sounded like that kind of prose where the author tries to show and not tell, but they don't succeed and it ends up being overwritten and boring (which is my gripe with most contemporary books, including category ones) I'm curious to read the quackery one, and would also be interested in what your opinion about My Brilliant Friend would be-- because it does deal with almost all the tw I can think of, but imo it does so in a very page-turner-y way (I listened to some university lectures about it that argued that what Elena Ferrante does in that series is homaging the feuilletons from 19th century, among other things). I also agree with your idea that the more you read, the more you encounter the same kind of themes and similar projects, and that makes you evaluate differently what just ten years before would have impacted more-- kind of "yeah, read this kind of thing already several times, it doesn't work now".
I do still have My Brilliant Friend on my shelf, so I think I'll at least give it a try at some point - I'm encouraged that you describe it as page turner-y
@@bookslikewhoa It is very page turnery, in my opinion, but especially starting from the second half of the first book on-- I flew through book 2 and 3
A Little Life sounds like trauma porn to me, and as a result, I’m kind of not interested in anything Yanagihara writes now … think it might be the author and not you? idk, I picked up Such a Fun Age last year because of Marines’ review, and ended up loving it. It’s shorter, pretty fast-paced, and humorous by way of cringe comedy. It’s also a classic comedy of manners in that it is a well-observed drama about several Types of Guys™️. Feel like it would be a better time than any of these? Although maybe there is a difference between literary fiction and general fiction?
@@elisemoser Agreed! I also feel like I had sort of the inverse of Mara’s experience, where some of the respected reviewers I follow on GR didn’t like it that much. And I didn’t want to be the You’re Reading It Wrong guy, but also, I’m like, “You’re reading it wrong!”😤 Idk, maybe because comedies of manners are not as common these days, people’s expectations going in aren’t set at the right level? I see a lot of people saying that they wanted more psychological depth, but that’s not really how a comedy of manners works? A comedy of manners just needs to examine a Type of Guy. Since That Guy is a recognizable Type in society, the reader can fill in other psychological details on their own.
Ha, if you think you're getting jaded at your age, try being 66 and finding a book that isn't filled with everything you've read a million times before. I attempt books all the time that I think wistfully I would have loved when I was 15, but ain't gonna cut it now.....
I use to think that I didn't like character driven stories, largely do to not enjoying contemporary fiction. But last year I read and enjoyed mostly character driven books. But they were in genres such as historical fiction, mystery, thrillers and romance. I just don't like contemporary fiction because the authors seem more focused on their writing then characters or plot. I just don't think beautiful prose is enough. It almost feels like a lot of failed poets turning to novels instead. I really don't love how that genres also seems to think SA has to be in every story in order to be poignant. It doesn't and only shows a lack of empathy and understanding of the toil of SA on individuals who have been through it. There are stories that need that arc but otherwise please just stop using it too be edgy.
SAME - I thought I didn't like character driven stories, but it was really just that I didn't like most literary character studies with very little plot :/
I haven’t read A Little Life but hopefully this author won’t be a one-hit wonder. I haven’t heard the best things about this one. Also if you’re getting me to read a 700 page book it better knock my socks off.
Why even in an alternate universe do we still need antiblackness as a "thought experiment"? I've become much more careful about all of the things I read especially literary fiction(because these attitudes are are given a platform by way of their prestige)because I'm not interested in reading about the blatant racism or micro aggressions that I live with right now. I'm especially not interested in these things being "handled" by a non black author.
In a broad sense, I prefer lit fic that's short. I struggle to imagine a non speculative story that needs to be 600+ pgs Specifically for Yanagihara, I have had no interest since she had that interview where she said that sometimes psychiatrists, like other doctors, should "help the patient die." She wrote A Little Life as an example of someone whose suicide is inevitable. And it just feels nasty to me.
I love literary fiction but have absolutely no interest in this author's work. The things I've seen and heard about it make it sound like the difficult elements are a bit...gratuitous. And I'm, personally, not in to that.
I've definitely grown tired and dazed of modern book consumerism and how many items can be churned out by the publishing industry. Cynical I know and while I still have a taste for reading I've started to gravitate towards non-fiction and graphic novels as I know something is bound to irritate me in a work of fiction unless it's by a favourite author.. (Undoubtedly that says more about me than the book)
Well you are the first person on YT that I have seen fess up to having a changing taste. I am 55 yrs old and let me just say that the more years/experiences in your life added with the additional weirdness of the world in general makes me less inclined to say-I am going to read this because its popular or its what I used to like. I think the Goldfinch taught me that. Honing in on odd genre branches has made most of my choices mostly 4s and 5s, and makes me spend almost as much time choosing the books as reading them. I loved this video (and your others too) and wish you lived next door to me-
A Little Life didn’t slay my soul it made it very very angry 😡. I felt inexcusably emotionally manipulated.
Totally agree with you.
I love this way of talking about books ! And it is such a relief to see two beautiful pampered and fluffy cats living happily.
They are truly spoiled!
@@bookslikewhoa They are adorable literary kitties and I remember that you adopted them. That is so inspiring.
As a 40+ reader with a preference for Genre Fiction (speculative fiction, speculative romance, romance), I backed out of beginning a BA Creative Writing that I started in 2020 - which I began for myself as something to do with the kids at school. Hated reading Literary Fiction, and couldn’t for the life of me connect with my lecturers who read Literary Fiction to study the art of writing rather than reading for escapism… so, changed my degree to Communications in Digital Media, which is writing, but protecting my joy of reading genre fiction for escapism. Perhaps it’s because Im in my 40’s and not in my 20’s, I have no patience (or F**ks) for books that trigger me, bore me, enrage me.
I had a very similar experience - I used to go for a lot of serious literary fiction when I was younger but the older I get and the more I deal with actual serious issues in my real life the less patience I have for books that don't bring me at least some measure of joy.
I really appreciated your thoughts on literary fiction at large, and in particular your thoughts on difficult content (I’ve struggled to put into words and you so eloquently did here). As someone also turning 35 soon, I’ve noticed my ability to consume upsetting content has rapidly decreased (whereas younger me could handle all sorts of horrors). Thanks for such a quality video
I generally do not like vlogs but I watched this one from beginning to end. It was so interesting and I enjoyed your perspective, especially your deep dive into understanding more about what types of literary fiction your like and dislike and why. Definitely would love to see more of this tyoe of content on your channel.
Same, I even had zero interest in these books. Haha! Mara’s musings and cozy editing is my favorite
@@tara5742 Exactly, I just knew I would not finish because these books did not interest me, but her point of view did.
Glad you enjoyed!
I actually didn’t like a little life at all but i think that I’m in the minority. I purchased To paradise but seeing reviews i think I’m going to take it back and get something else
I get it-- work, pandemic, grief and a myriad of other life events (good and bad) affect my reading. When things are falling apart around me, I reach for my cozy mysteries-- I need the satisfaction of a puzzle that can be resolved in 250-300 pages, and for that, I am willing to trade off on writing quality, plot, etc. I suspect short stories work because they can be tied up with a bow quickly-- but without the compromise in writing quality.
I’m in my early sixties and you are exactly right. I think reading tastes can’t help but change. For me, it’s both related to how I have changed and evolved over time as well as how society has progressed (or not). Also, though, I’ve learned to allow my mental health to shape my reading to a much greater degree and not pressure myself about it. By the time the pandemic hit I was basically down to fantasy and cozy mysteries with occasional hits of literary fiction. Immediate TBR, maybe, The Love Songs of W. E. B. duBois, A Three Dog Problem, and Jade War. BTW, just finished The Maid this morning and really enjoyed both the mystery and the voice.
YAY I'm so glad you liked The Maid!! It's so lovely
I love your curiosity and I loved this video/project.
I loved A little Life, though I don’t think I should have read it, would not recommend it to a soul, and don’t think I’d ever read from Hanya Yanagihara again. I was not aware of booktube at the time and had never heard of it before, the back gave me no indication of what it was about (plus I’m in the UK so the cover didn’t clue me in either) so I hadn’t the faintest idea what I was getting into. I was beginning to come out of the worst depressive episode of my life (not the best time to pick the book up) and let’s just say that I did have an ED relapse afterward. A couple of the characters were (imo) exceptional and I suppose it validated and put into words how I had been feeling. Maybe it was cathartic? I will say that I never understood the fuss about the prose and all I’ve read since (2-3 years?) is high fantasy and romance. I will read rough going stuff (eg Hobb!) but only in fantasy. Maybe that’s what I would have ended up doing anyway, maybe not. Either way I won’t be reading To Paradise!
I don’t have a problem with A Little Life or including triggering content in art, but I do think it needed some sort of warning (Something Yanagihara disagrees with), I had no idea what it was, and I know that I’m not the only one it (dangerously?) affected.
Anyway, I’ve rambled! But I really enjoyed this vlog ;). I also love when the title shows up in the book (“A Little Life” was also in the text, and my God was it a gut punch).
I think my biggest issue with these types of books is so often their main pitch seems to be 'what if....characters. And what if...sad.' And like, I can get those things from plenty of other books and genres that do character development and emotional depth (not to mention other story elements) much better imo 🤷🏻♀️
also St. Aubyn's writing style definitely sounds like Too Much!
loved the vlog as always!
"what if... sad" is the best summary of so much of contemporary lit fic I've seen :D
So interesting regarding the changes as an older adult with life being experienced, because then books become the need to be entertaining too. I must say, I find it to be the same. Younger me was much more cerebral and snooty and right now, life is kicking me so I want just some rest and joy😊
Total transparency time. .. I don’t tend to read this kind of literary fiction because I am scared I won’t “get” it. Whether that be the writing as a whole, the literary components, maybe even the message that is intended. I read an average of one hundred books a year, am in my mid (okay, late) 40s and have let that fear rule my reading my entire life. Of course, I read the required books in both high school and college and never had a problem. I have tackled a few (very few, like embarrassingly few) classics and some literary fiction, also with total comprehension and some enjoyment, too. I honestly can’t say why I have this phobia against the genre. I love that you are trying this as a way to find out why your reading preferences have changed. I also like the way you referenced life experiences possibly being part of the cause. I wish I could find out my reason, too, because I would bet I am depriving myself of some wonderful reads!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
gosh, i used to feel exactly like that, and sometimes still do!
despite being a voracious reader for decades „literary fiction“ made me nervous, scared me that i‘d feel dumb for „not getting it“. but i have since found out that in that category, just like in any other, there are duds. or at least books that are not to my taste simply because i don‘t like the prose/theme/plot (or lack of)/characterizations (or lack of) etc. in other words: it‘s not me, it‘s them. or at least them for me. 😉
if you want to give literary fiction another go, may i suggest some of my all-time favorites: „last night at the lobster“ by stewart o‘nan; „olive kitteridge“ by elizabeth strout; „summerwater“ by sarah moss. they are all on the short side, with clear prose, strong character development and engaging plot/storyline. maybe you‘ll discover a whole new genre that‘s just waiting for you to dig into. happy reading! monica 📚📚📚
ps: love your (screen)name 👌🏻
I think most people can relate! Anytime something is perceived as "Art" and you personally don't like it or don't get it, it's easy to feel like it's a reflection on your own intelligence or depth rather than just... not every work works for everyone
I want to see part two! Thanks for reading To Paradise, I was thinking of reading, but just took it off my TBR. I get intimidated with that large of book and don't want to read something large i wont' like
thank you so much for exploring your taste! i am struggling to find my own reading taste again. i'm using a mood / theme readalike finder through my library to see if i can find a five star read, but its been a long time since i've read a favourite.
This was really interesting. Thank you for keeping me company while I was having lunch 🤗
You are so welcome!
That is a very interesting point about classics versus contemporary literary fiction. Food for thought.
Sounds like a good experiment to check in with your self and reflect on how your taste have changed. I might try this with YA books or mainstream publications of romance, never know.
The software development part is what I hear from Rhyan all the time and I am so sorry you had one of those weeks! Also have been really curious about everyone's thoughts on To Paradise so thanks for bringing us along on that journey!
LOL you are familiar with the drama then :D
To preface: I have not read any Yanagihara, so I guess grains of salt. I *love* literary fiction and “thinky” tomes about just people living their lives, so she’s an author that theoretically I should like, but I just cannot with the way I’ve heard she handles certain topics and characters. Especially regarding trauma (because oh boy does her work sound so trauma porn-y) and LGBTQIA+ characters. (And it doesn’t sound like she handles criticism well, either, so there’s that.) Regarding To Paradise, I’ve heard the first book is riddled with slurs about Black and Native peoples and I just don’t have the time or space for that. It’s 2022; we don’t have to read for historical accuracy regarding slurs, thanks. Especially when it’s an alternative history. That tension you mentioned can be included without racism, I think. Obviously, not having read it, I can’t say this is true for certain, but it’s enough to make me just not want to read it. I lived for parisperusing’s updates on instagram when he was reading it, and the things he pointed out just made me go ~nope~. Anyway, this is to say, I think there is brilliant literary fiction out there. I don’t think Yanagihara’s works are that for me. Loved this longer video and discussion, though!
Good to have more context on her history representing the LGBTQIA+ community in her work! I wasn't aware of that
This was fun to see your journey with these books, even though only one of them seemed really fun for you to read. I have also changed my habits and taste when it comes to literary fiction, since my post-college time. I think post-college I am more inclined to pick up nonfiction for some of the things I once went to literary fiction for (harder hitting topics and discussion of the human experience, social commentary, etc.). A very well-written piece of nonfiction often does those things better, in my opinion. I also just think literary fiction as a genre has been more saturated with wealthy white men and women and their takes on these things, and I just don’t care for that too much. It seems like a genre that has been slower to prioritize different voices and different perspectives and that is frustrating to me (and pretty boring).
I tend to agree at this point in my life... usually if I'm wanting something high minded, I'm much more likely to pick up non-fiction or a classic
I'm loving all of the vlogs lately! I like literary fiction when I'm in the mood, but it's not one of my regular go-to genres. I read a lot more of it when I was in high school, but since watching your channel and getting into other booktube content I've branched out a lot. I've read a lot of romance and mystery since I started watching your channel, and now I just prefer the variety of my reading diet over always reading books that I think are "good for me." Thanks for the inspiration 😉☺
I'm glad you're enjoying them! I've been enjoying making them
I love that you're exploring how your tastes have changed - some really interesting introspection here!
My tastes have changed from my late teens/early twenties to late twenties even. I used to read a lot more literary fiction, classics, and historical fiction, and now it's much more genre-focused (scifi has been a mid-late 20s discovery) with some shifts within types of genres as well. The literary fiction I do still read tends to come from different perspectives now, rather than the traditional white male authors that I used to almost exclusively read. I've also broadened the types of books too (short stories, novellas, graphic novels, etc.).
Hahah I also work in tech and greatly appreciated your work rant interlude. Especially the part about calling out teams for never really being agile. It’s so true!! I say it all the time 😂🤣😂
Oh and also I did appreciate the book reviews too! Even if you didn’t like them. I just love listening to people talk about books and when it’s not a huge rave, it’s almost a relief that I don’t feel tempted to add another book to my tbr 🙃
Exactly!
Really good video, thanks for sharing it. I especially liked your point about how classic works of literary fiction are often striving to entertain even as they do great character work and employ beautiful prose (Dickens is a great example, Jane Austen is another one). It made me think of how literary fiction sets itself apart from (or above as some would have it) genre fiction because why? It doesn't care about such wordly things as telling a good yarn? Why can't it be both? Well, whatever the reason, it seems to me that trying to avoid elements of entertainment altogether, almost as a requirement, limits literary fiction. This was not something I had been able to put my finger on before, because I do enjoy a lot of classic literary fiction and couldn't understand why the newer stuff was less successful for me. I would definitely enjoy watching a round 2!
Such an interesting video and seeing your thoughts on these and reading taste changes! Also on your work stuff - no gos at the last minute are SO INFURIATING! I understand your pain haha. Hopefully things get sorted out on the project! 🤞
we got to a go this weekend so it all worked out :D
I feel your work pain! Supposed Agile that isn't, UAT that doesn't work after unit testing, QA etc....., Go-NoGo decisions, and then the justification, finger-pointing and all the attendant mess that goes along with it. Hope things improve!
I read afterparties last year and I rarely read short stories. I would recommend it!
I respect the viewpoint of readers who feel they can't judge a story about a homosexual character, for example, if they are not homosexual themselves, because it shows great intentions, but I disagree with it. The way I look at it is that I don't need to be a murderer in order to evaluate an Agatha Christie plot. There is no attempt with that analogy to equate morally neutral homosexuality with murder, but I wished to use an extreme point to make my analogy clearer.
I really agree with this point
For me, as a public reviewer, I increasingly err on the side of not saying rep is bad if that's my experience, because if someone who is in that group did enjoy the rep, I feel like it's not my place to invalidate that. That said, I probably would feel differently if I wasn't reviewing publicly. For me, the rep in this for gay men was not great, but if an actual gay man enjoyed it... who am I to contradict that experience
I think it kind of depends on if the homosexuality is incidental to the point or if the story is trying to say something about the gay experience; likewise if the critique is directly about the gay aspects or about more general relationship points. So for example, I think it’s fair for a heterosexual reader to say “the chemistry between these characters didn’t feel authentic” or similar critique, but not “this isn’t a good representation of a gay experience.”
Your facial expressions while you were reading To Paradise were cracking me up 😂. I have zero interest in this book but was interested in your thoughts. The cats also seemed unimpressed 🙂. On the plus side I read Magpie Murders today based on your rec in a previous vlog and really enjoyed it so thanks! ❤️
YAY so glad you liked it!
Absolutely hated "A Little Life." It was so overtly tragic to the point of being comedic. Something about Yanagihara's obsession with torturing and then "saving" gay men has never sat right with me. It has nothing to do with her identity, it's just odd how fixated she is on that theme. Plus, I feel like people were so swept up by the trauma plot that they didn't notice that the writing is mediocre at best and often downright boring.
I know right? I hated the book too. I had to put it down when she made up a horrible disease for a five year old to suffer and die from when there were any number of other ways to kill him off. it was that little bit of extra nonsense that made me go 'this sucks'
@@emilym.634 see there are so many tragic things happening that I forgot about that one 😂 There are so many ways to write gay characters as a straight author, but she clearly has a fetishistic thing for them. Vulture had a great article explaining how she sees herself as a love interest in the novels, there to be her characters savior
@@katerina6228 that does not surprise me one bit. As I read the book I just got the same vibe I would get reading a stupid m/m grimdark fanfiction! And yeah I don't object to straights writing gay characters but for fuck's sake, please don't write your books with one hand down your pants
@@emilym.634 Yes! Grimdark m/m fanfiction was exactly the vibe I got reading reviews and synopses of A Little Life! 😩 One that mistook trauma for profundity or thematic weight! Because these works are usually written by angsty 16 year olds, but for some reason, adult professional authors can make a career of this too. Does Yanagihara identify as straight? I have not read any of her interviews or profiles.
@@eriklonnrot3578 Idk what she identifies as but it wouldn't make the work as it is any better in my opinion.
The Churchill and Pemberly cozy mysteries are exactly what I read just for relaxation, so funny and witty ! Also, on a different category, if you have not read The Count of Montecristo, I think you will love it, very specially the first third part of the book, it was my favourite, the time he was in prison, very inspiring really. Saludos desde México !!!
this is so interesting to see you talk about positive reviews of to paradise, you're certainly not the only one who disliked it though because i have seen nothing but people picking apart how contrived / badly written this novel was.. i think vulture specifically has an interesting article in which it's also mentioned that review copies were only sent out to people who would seem to have a positive opinion on the book, instead of more broadly (idk-part of me gets that as an ad campaign thing but it is really interesting to me as well)
Oh, that's very interesting! I'll have to go look that article up.... yeah, it just wasn't great. The more time that passes the less I like it :/
I loved hearing your thoughts on how your tastes have changed especially regarding what genres you tend to gravitate towards. I mostly read literary fiction but find it’s so important for my reading to keep things varied whether that’s by reading mysteries, romance, classics … I’m cringing thinking about only ever reading contemporary literary fiction!! 😬 Can’t wait for part two of this series! My recs for you from books I read in the last year that are more ‘feel good’ or emotionally satisfying literary fiction would be: Mr Loverman by Bernardino Evaristo, Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, the Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw … and even though the Neapolitan Novels can be really heavy I find them so emotionally satisfying and incredible character driven.
Now I am feeling better for my books that are on my shelves for 7-8 years and I still haven't read them
A great experiment! And while I tend to agree that reading tastes change throughout the decades, living through this pandemic has put extra pressure on us all, and of itself have changed your taste for literature. I know it has for me. The question that can't be answered get is whether my reading will change back after life settles down or if my taste has changed for good.
Mara - maybe you could consider reading more 'literary' romantic novels? I'm thinking Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan, a book that has been very much hyped. Think a reading vlog on that would be super interesting. :)
I've definitely enjoyed some of those in the past! POSSESSION comes to mind :)
Can I just say, love this video and I love your funny yet honest style vlogs. Also, loving the kitty clips
I work in software development as well, and man I feel your pain! 😅 I have also had the added bonus of deploying regardless and keeping the functionality dormant in Prod, only to have to clean up everything a year later because it's not going to be used 😭
And that comment about being Agile 🤣🤣🤣
Preach!! 🙌😂
Omg nooooooooo - that is such a nightmare. So wasteful of dev resources!
I thought you might appreciate my twitter post from yesterday
"I used to love really sad stories, with no HEA at all (romantically or otherwise) . With everything going on now though, I still appreciate stories with depth, they just don't have to be so heartbreaking, And I even like totally fluffy books once in awhile, I carry multitudes."
I enjoy literary fiction when there's a fantasy/sci-fi/horror twist. Straight contemporary literary fiction is a really hard sell for me. It was interesting to see your thoughts!
I know my reading tastes have changed over the past couple years, and I attribute that to watching BookTube. I was so restrictive with what I was reading but now that I've tried out different genres (M/M romance, adult fantasy, just to name a few), I feel more satisfied with what I'm reading.
I am 66 and my taste in reading has changed many times throughout my life. As a teen and young adult, I loved historical fiction and thrillers. Now I don’t like either. I went through a time where I only read light women’s fiction and YA. It is maybe because I was a teacher and a single parent. I am now retired and starting to want more substance in my reading. After my second child was born I was given “It” to read. I actually threw that book away!
Lol omg your software development rant 💀 I related so hard oh my
The struggle is REAAALLLLL
Fun video! Love to see a round two
Good analysis on this video. Love the way you break down books
Glad you enjoyed!
as a writer of literary fiction, but also as a fan of genre fiction as well, I found this very interesting and helpful how readers may encounter my work. and listen, I love a good imaginative simile, but "like a spine in the hands of a confident osteopath" is very funny to me
it was... a lot...
I generally don't care for literary fiction. I read A Little Life and wondered 🤔 where this "masterpiece " was that everyone else was reading. I seriously disliked it. Trauma porn is an Excellent description for it. So I wasn't interested in To Paradise at all. I like when books have their titles in as part of the prose of the book, but only when it's in a cozy or scifi romance so it's meant more comically/ironically. Otherwise it comes off as 🧀 to me. 😆 Your 🐈. Love it-Cuddled up in bed or commandeering the heating vent. All hail Robin Hobb 👏 . Literary Fiction and Historical Fiction usually just bore 😴 me. I'll stick to Ilona Andrews, Agatha Christie, Robert Crais, Kresley Cole, and my usual suspects. Guess, I'll just be low-brow and not read "Literature ". 🎩
‘It is possible I’m dumb’ 😂 I was just thinking that while reading the Echo Wife, the science around clones in that book…doesn’t really make sense to me 😅 either the math doesn’t math or I’m just dumb
LOL it's such a lonely feeling :D
I was gutted by A little life so I can't wait to read this book. But I must say that don't read a lot of literary fiction, because most of the time the 'deep message' doesn't reach me or I find it a bit too difficult to fully enjoy (so it could be a 3 star as highest score, very middle of the road) and I read it also mostly for my bookclub.
So I'm very interested in what you think about this book, you always explain it so properly why it worked or didn't work.
I love your apartment it's beautiful!
Thank you!! 😊
Love this vlog + book review style video!
More to come!
Like you☺ I used to read much more Literary Fiction than I do now . The older I get the more I appreciate a story that doesn't totally traumatize me. I still like to learn stuff when reading tho so now what I mostly go for is 'Intellectual Genre Fiction', mostly Mysteries. Is that a category?
For sure - I think of someone like Tana French as a good example of that style!
Look great! I’m 36 shhh 🤫 making me feel older! 🤣 we can share in being older booktubers 🤷🏻♀️ I feel like most booktubers are in their 20’s. I just bought A Little Life. I never buy a new book on a whim like that! I felt that it was big needed the physical book and I hope I’m right that it will be good! Lol
I’m not exactly sure if Joseph Heller books are LF but his God Knows and Picture This are so smart and funny. Definitely worth the read.
Wise call, To Paradise probably isn’t the best gauge of whether or not you like literary fiction. I read a bit of everything and follow several BookTubers who solely read literary fiction and have seen several less than stellar reviews from them on this book. Even those who have loved A Little Life and The People in the Trees aren’t loving this book. I agree that the literary fiction I love, like The Summer That Melted Everything, brings me some enjoyment in addition to having strong writing and themes.
Yeah, it was definitely not enticing to keep picking up lit fic :/
I have worked in IT as a consultant for 20 years. No truer words have been said than "nobody fully does agile". I died laughing from that. And have totally been there for a pulled back go-live. We had to do that on an upgrade recently and, 4 months later, still not live. I feel your week from hell and I hope the project is doing better.
Also, I'm not a huge fan of contemporary fiction. I've tried over the years but they rarely hold my interest. My brain likes what it likes and I no longer have to read for school, so I'm going to read what I want and makes me happy.
It's so true - I used to do consulting and EVERY place I worked had "agile" that was actually just lazy waterfall :D
My Reading Habits change every other day, I think.
My reading tastes have also changed over my lifetime. I think it would be hard not to experience some change in what you prefer. It's all a part of growth, not for the worse or better. Just different priorities and interests. I went through a time when I was trying to "better my mind," and read more modern literature. I found my enjoyment of reading took a dive during that time. So, happily I don't do as much of that these days. I love genre fiction and women's fiction, and so that's what I concentrate on.
At the risk of sounding stupid, one thing I want to ask is about the phrase you were constantly using in your description of Melrose's book. You said something like "child assay"? I'm not sure I was hearing that right. I googled it and still don't have a clue.
Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) I think is what you’re referring to
@@woonsckt Thank you. I didn't realize that Mara was using initials. I knew what she was referencing, but I didn't understand why it wasn't just said, i.e,. child sexual abuse.
@@sassycatz4470 yes it’s a bit confusing, I’ve heard content warnings for books said this way but work in the mental health field and we use the term unabbreviated. Glad to help!
Yes, sorry, RUclips doesn't like those words so I abbreviate - woonsckt is right on the money
I just found your channel and subbed, you have a refreshing clarity as goes booktube. 🤓 I like this experiment regarding how one's taste changes over time.
I took a peek at To Paradise on Amazon and I would not buy this book just based on the awkwardly worded and pedestrian writing--it lacks life. That reviewer you mentioned seems to have pretty low standards for being wowed.
The writing in Olaf was less clunky but still seems undeveloped, perhaps needing some thematic editing. Would read it from library but not buy it.
Agree with your take on Patrick Melrose--writing is weak, could use tight editing.
Couldn't see the book content for BOALP on Amazon but taking your word for it. Aight. 🤓
I thought "A Little Life" was an absolutely unbearable novel. The real subject of that book was the sadistic relationship the author had with her readers. After a while all I could feel was resentment toward the writer and I have no desire to read her new one.
“I want to be entertained” - YES! Life’s too short to spend your free time on meh reads, and contemporary literary fiction is usually meh for me.
I keep collecting Hanya Yanagihara's books because everything she writes so utterly appeals to me but I've yet to read anything by her 😂 this one once again super caught my eye so I was all set to add it to my unread Hanya pile but you give me pause.....
I mean, predicting if you will or will not like something is a fool's errand, but if I were betting, I would not think you would enjoy TO PARADISE
I would kind of agree with your takeaway, especially given the rise of "autofiction" there's a big chunk of litfic with basically no tension or stakes. I would totally want to see another round however you opt to do it. Also 99% sure you would enjoy Women Talking by Miriam Toews given your interests in theology and faith, as well as feminism, so if you wind up looking for new options to try I'd love to see that.
Possibly, I did hear really good things about that one
I normally rate series as a whole but the books in the Patrick Melrose series were so wildly inconsistent in impact that I rated them individually. Most of them were a miss for me - St. Aubyn's writing is not for me, I think - but I rated the first and the fourth the highest.
As for Hanya Yanigahara and "A Little Life", I had MANY more issues than I did with Patrick Melrose. Two stars and that second star was me being generous because there weren't any major grammar or formatting issues. Do not recommend.
Yikes if the first one was one of the better ones, I'm glad I'm bailing :D
If it's not humorous lit fic I don't want anything to do with it. I really liked John Irving once upon a time - not sure if I would get on with his stuff now but I think it's possible. These hopeless, dire explorations of humanity don't sound appealing at all. I appreciated what you said about art & the exploration of difficult subjects - something I think about often.
Maybe the fact of wanting to be entertained is what mostly has always put me off contemporary literature--- I never knew why it mostly didn't click with me, but maybe that is the answer.
I get the impression that contemporary literary fiction is to me mostly the literary equivalent of Oscar-bait, often.
I haven't read A Little Life myself, but, from the things my friends that actually read it told me & the vibes I get, it seems to be the type of... emotionally manipulative kind of tearjerker that I do not appreciate.
As for the Patrick Melrose one, the part that you read aloud sounded like that kind of prose where the author tries to show and not tell, but they don't succeed and it ends up being overwritten and boring (which is my gripe with most contemporary books, including category ones)
I'm curious to read the quackery one, and would also be interested in what your opinion about My Brilliant Friend would be-- because it does deal with almost all the tw I can think of, but imo it does so in a very page-turner-y way (I listened to some university lectures about it that argued that what Elena Ferrante does in that series is homaging the feuilletons from 19th century, among other things).
I also agree with your idea that the more you read, the more you encounter the same kind of themes and similar projects, and that makes you evaluate differently what just ten years before would have impacted more-- kind of "yeah, read this kind of thing already several times, it doesn't work now".
I do still have My Brilliant Friend on my shelf, so I think I'll at least give it a try at some point - I'm encouraged that you describe it as page turner-y
@@bookslikewhoa It is very page turnery, in my opinion, but especially starting from the second half of the first book on-- I flew through book 2 and 3
I felt the same way about the Patrick Melrose tv series. I in fact didn't finish it. 😕
DID NOT KNOW YOU WERE IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT. HEY SISTER
A Little Life sounds like trauma porn to me, and as a result, I’m kind of not interested in anything Yanagihara writes now … think it might be the author and not you?
idk, I picked up Such a Fun Age last year because of Marines’ review, and ended up loving it. It’s shorter, pretty fast-paced, and humorous by way of cringe comedy. It’s also a classic comedy of manners in that it is a well-observed drama about several Types of Guys™️. Feel like it would be a better time than any of these? Although maybe there is a difference between literary fiction and general fiction?
I loved Such a Fun Age! It balances humor, plotting, and literary elements perfectly.
@@elisemoser Agreed!
I also feel like I had sort of the inverse of Mara’s experience, where some of the respected reviewers I follow on GR didn’t like it that much. And I didn’t want to be the You’re Reading It Wrong guy, but also, I’m like, “You’re reading it wrong!”😤 Idk, maybe because comedies of manners are not as common these days, people’s expectations going in aren’t set at the right level? I see a lot of people saying that they wanted more psychological depth, but that’s not really how a comedy of manners works? A comedy of manners just needs to examine a Type of Guy. Since That Guy is a recognizable Type in society, the reader can fill in other psychological details on their own.
It was trauma porn. I hated it.
I'm definitely hoping to get to Such a Fun Age at some point!
I always got trauma porn vibes from reviews of A Little Life, so I haven't read it. Tbh I clicked on your video to watch you drag this book. bahah
lol hope I delivered!
Your rant about software development has been life with a spreadsheet. They want certain aspects and for it to run like a database but not.
Ha, if you think you're getting jaded at your age, try being 66 and finding a book that isn't filled with everything you've read a million times before. I attempt books all the time that I think wistfully I would have loved when I was 15, but ain't gonna cut it now.....
I use to think that I didn't like character driven stories, largely do to not enjoying contemporary fiction. But last year I read and enjoyed mostly character driven books. But they were in genres such as historical fiction, mystery, thrillers and romance. I just don't like contemporary fiction because the authors seem more focused on their writing then characters or plot. I just don't think beautiful prose is enough. It almost feels like a lot of failed poets turning to novels instead. I really don't love how that genres also seems to think SA has to be in every story in order to be poignant. It doesn't and only shows a lack of empathy and understanding of the toil of SA on individuals who have been through it. There are stories that need that arc but otherwise please just stop using it too be edgy.
SAME - I thought I didn't like character driven stories, but it was really just that I didn't like most literary character studies with very little plot :/
PS.. I could NOT stomach Patrick Melrose. Benedict Cumberbatch was amazing-- but his acting made the story that much more "real" and horrific. YMMV
LIterary fiction has never really been my thing. Maybe I'm not missing anything?
You are definitely not dumb. Reviewers are not to be trusted, and literary fiction is often way overrated.
What does your sweater say?
Stay Home and Read a Romance Novel :)
@@bookslikewhoa Love that :)
Lipstick like whoa
I haven’t read A Little Life but hopefully this author won’t be a one-hit wonder. I haven’t heard the best things about this one. Also if you’re getting me to read a 700 page book it better knock my socks off.
Exactly!
"season 3 of a pandemic" 😩😂
Why even in an alternate universe do we still need antiblackness as a "thought experiment"? I've become much more careful about all of the things I read especially literary fiction(because these attitudes are are given a platform by way of their prestige)because I'm not interested in reading about the blatant racism or micro aggressions that I live with right now. I'm especially not interested in these things being "handled" by a non black author.
Hanya Yanagihara is from Hawaii but not Native Hawaiian
Good to know!
In a broad sense, I prefer lit fic that's short. I struggle to imagine a non speculative story that needs to be 600+ pgs
Specifically for Yanagihara, I have had no interest since she had that interview where she said that sometimes psychiatrists, like other doctors, should "help the patient die." She wrote A Little Life as an example of someone whose suicide is inevitable. And it just feels nasty to me.
Omg YIKKKESSSS
👍👍!!!
I love literary fiction but have absolutely no interest in this author's work. The things I've seen and heard about it make it sound like the difficult elements are a bit...gratuitous. And I'm, personally, not in to that.
Aggressively mediocre. 💀
I've definitely grown tired and dazed of modern book consumerism and how many items can be churned out by the publishing industry. Cynical I know and while I still have a taste for reading I've started to gravitate towards non-fiction and graphic novels as I know something is bound to irritate me in a work of fiction unless it's by a favourite author.. (Undoubtedly that says more about me than the book)