book review: Awake Awake by Fiona Mozley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 

Thank you Algonquin Books for providing an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Fiona Mozley’s Awake Awake is a timely and uniquely modern literary novel that follows a diverse group of classmates from their school days into their thirties. I was immediately drawn in by this rich cast of characters, who represent a wide spectrum of backgrounds, religions, politics, and life paths. Mozley delivers information through seamless storytelling, making the reader feel like an organic extension of the friend group. 

Alongside this group dynamic, the protagonist, Mary, works through the shifting realities of her own memories. Did her grandfather have a hand in Hitler’s death? Or do she and her brother share similar mental health struggles? These nuanced discussions on mental health are incredibly important. I appreciate how the novel centers this topic, exploring it not just in a clinical setting, but through the support from friends and family as well.

The religious and political themes are woven beautifully and authentically into the plot without feeling forced. Having lived my own formative years in the 2000s and 2010s, I can definitely attest that life isn't siloed from these issues—they really have been a constant background presence in our lives. Mozley perfectly captures the tension between activism and peace, being pro-war, or caring deeply but lacking the agency to act. The last quarter of the book brings these thought-provoking topics to a head, leaving me with several favorite quotes to revisit.

I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates slow-unfolding, coming-of-age stories. If you also love the extra depth that subtle dialects and British settings bring to a narrative, Fiona Mozley is an author to add to your list. I certainly plan on reading more of her work.

most interesting vol. 4

I discovered some really good watches lately! 

Shrill is a 3 season Hulu series that has made it over to Netflix. The main premise shows Annie navigating life while the world deems her not good enough because of her weight. I found it so relatable, heartwarming, and funny. I laughed and I cried. It was so sad that Hulu cancelled it so abruptly during season 3. So I ordered Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West from the library. The show is loosely based on this book of essays so I'm still getting my fix even though I'm done watching the series.

Art and Craft is a "this can't be true" story of Mark Landis who forged art for decades before he was outed. Watching him paint so quickly while casually sitting on his bed with just an art board and paint tubes strewn about is absolutely bonkers. This is a really fun conversation with Mark with questions from just Reddit users. What I'm most curious about is why with so much talent he hasn't become a highly regarded artist in his own rite. He explains this a bit in both the documentary and the Reddit thread.

The Booksellers gives a sneak peek into the life and business of rare and antiquity booksellers.

Robin's Wish is such an interesting look at Robin William's last few years unknowingly battling Lewy Body Dementia. Interviews with those closest to him in his personal and professional life provide an intimate look and set the story straight about what led up to the world losing someone way too early.

book review: Etna by Paul Yoon

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5/5

Wow. Just… wow. I’m calling it now: this will easily be my favorite book of the year, and honestly, likely one of my favorites for a long time to come.

As my own dog napped, head laid contently on my legs, I began this book. And from that first paragraph until the last, I was immersed, seeing so much of Etna in my own. She is taken from the only place she’s known and thrust into the front lines of a war. As the war finishes, Etna yearns to go back home, encountering humans and animals along the way, all lending to a deeply woven journey of the harshness and strife of life, but also the beauty and humanity as well. So much emotion is contained within this short book, I’d like to start back over on the first page to experience it all over again. 

I think almost anyone could find something to connect with in this story. It’s a beautiful, universal tale.

Thank you Scribner for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.