into every generation a slayer is born: how buffy staked our hearts by evan ross katz

I can hear some of you rolling your eyes already. I don’t care! I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Love it love it love it.

Just finished my third rewatch of all of the TV series – and this time, with my daughter (her first watch – lucky!). There’s still so much to get from it. I guess some dismiss it as a silly, spooky show for teenagers, and sure, sometimes it goes down that route. But we’d do it a disservice to say that’s all it is. Buffy deals with huge themes, including grief, addiction, abuse, love, death, and everything in between – and makes it completely relatable. And it’s very funny too.

So this book came out around the time of the twenty-fifth anniversary. It has cast and crew interviews, insight into how the show was made, theories on how it gained its cult status, and brief overviews of what happens in each season. The author is an uber-fan (I mean, you’d have to be) and his devotion shines from every page. I do appreciate his willingness to acknowledge the TV show’s flaws, though – he readily admits that it’s not perfect.

The big thing this book deals with is the show’s creator Joss Whedon’s spectacular fall from grace, which has been widely documented in the media in recent years. The man is basically a horrid person, both personally and professionally – there are plenty of cast anecdotes to attest to that. Short of going into detail (read the book!) it does raise interesting arguments about separating art from the artist. My take is: I love Buffy, I do not love Joss Whedon.

In short…

If you’re a fan, you’re bound to enjoy this fascinating account of how Buffy came to be, and everything that followed. I thought it was great, 9/10

on beauty by zadie smith

Ah dysfunctional families. Providing fodder for novels since whenever. Hours of entertainment! Like EastEnders but well-written and it’s a book. I always like a clutch of unlikeable characters too, and this book has plenty of them. In fact I would say all the main characters are completely awful, but in very human and normal ways.

The story revolves around two warring academic families, the Belseys and the Kippses, though the main focus is on the Belseys, in particular the father Howard, a British art history professor at a semi-prestigious American university, and his wife Kiki, a nurse from a typically underprivileged background. Howard is a total prick, has to be said – though I’m not sure any other character can claim to be otherwise.

Zadie Smith always writes so intelligently, and it feels as if she’s an author that always does a huge amount of research for their books (I mean, this is just standard anyway, right?). It comes across more so here as the setting is a university. There’s a lot of thoughtful debate between characters on race, equal opportunities, gender, class, art, politics, etc. etc. It’s never too cerebral though; and always secondary to the family drama. Within the context of the family drama it becomes very readable.

I enjoyed this book a lot though I don’t feel it will stay with me in any way; I wasn’t moved as such (though I did cringe somewhat – due to plot developments, not the writing itself).

In short…

Plenty to enjoy here, especially if you like your family dramas on the clever side; a solid 8/10

in the country of last things by paul auster

Who’s in the mood for a dystopian novel? Me! Or, I was, anyway – till I read this book and realised it wasn’t so much dystopian as current affairs. It was written in 1987 (I think – may need to fact check) so you could surmise that the events and locations presented in the narrative were but a horrible nightmare dreamt up by the author, trying to imagine the worst possible things he could think of for ordinary people to cope with.

Anna Blume is searching for her brother William, who moved to the ‘city’ and vanished – no one has heard from him for a long time. She fears the same will happen to her, as the city is a crumbling, bleak place, where corpses line the streets and people scavenge for food. Once you’re there, it’s impossible to leave (though Anna doesn’t try very hard IMO) and you risk starving or being chopped up and eaten by some downright wrong’uns.

OK, so that’s not exactly like anywhere I’m actually aware of, but it doesn’t feel like it’s so far in the future anyway. The societal structure is familiar, the behaviours of the people are familiar, and the absolute tyranny of the government/lawmakers is something you can watch with your own eyes on the evening news. Then the story loses some of its shock value – there was me, wanting to lift myself out of reality with a nice dark fiction, and oh – nope, it’s just another version of life.

Generally, though, the book is OK – not too writerly – a bit earnest in places, I feel like Paul Auster might be one of those ‘serious’ authors – and there’s some gratuitous lesbian/masturbation scenes that feel very much like a male author wanting to touch himself – but generally, it was OK.

In short…

Not quite what I was after, tbh, and though I’ve said it was OK, I was actually bored sometimes. Quite forgettable, 4/10

trustee from the toolroom by nevil shute

Is Nevil Shute underrated? I kind of feel like that’s the case. When I enthuse about him to other people they usually look blank. Nevil who? His most famous book – A Town Called Alice – is slowly sliding into relative obscurity. Which is a shame, as it’s really good. My fave is On the Beach, a perfect study of bleakness. And this one was rather satisfying too.

He tends to write about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. So in this story, Keith Stewart, a normal man from London, who enjoys a hobby making miniature engines and writing about them for a specialist magazine, is suddenly launched into an international adventure when his sister dies unexpectedly and leaves their daughter in his care. As her trustee, he feels it’s up to him to provide the best possible future for her, which results in a journey most people would balk at.

It’s amazing really, that this is the basis for a thrilling adventure. But it’s totally compelling. Set in the 1950s – without the modern conveniences of technology – it’s sort of fascinating to discover how you’d actually travel to a remote island in the Pacific Ocean on little to no money in your pocket. Of course, things go quite smoothly for Keith, which is convenient for the narrative – and he does have some very handy specialist knowledge which stands him in good stead.

I love Nevil Shute’s writing because there are no frills, no fancy devices – it’s all very straightforward and elegant. It reminds me of Daphne du Maurier in that regard. Substance is everything. Honestly, there is a whole chapter in this book about a yacht sailing into a storm that was the most tense thing I’ve read in a long time. Masterclass.

In short…

If you’ve never read Nevil then you’re missing out. Top writer with top stories. Give him a go – this book is a gentle winner, a solid 8/10

unsheltered by barbara kingsolver

This is a chunky book, though maybe not quite as hefty as The Poisonwood Bible and it feels a bit more accessible than that too. Still, there were times I was ploughing through. She can write a dense book, can’t she? Full of plot and info and character.

Two narratives: Willa is dealing with her house falling down around her and her family falling apart at the same time; and Thatcher Greenwood is living in that same house, only a hundred years ago. His neighbour is a female scientist who may hold the key to Willa saving her house. Lives intertwined and all that.

The modern plot worked better for me, though on paper the historical plot was more intriguing. Willa’s family are deftly realised in all their human complexities – they make questionable choices and definitely fuck up and are even a bit unlikeable, which is fine by me. No one wants perfect. The daughter, Tig, gets way too preachy and earnest towards the end but raises some valid points about existing and resisting in a capitalist society. Young people will change the world, for sure.

The historical plot feels contrived to me; characters not quite so well-drawn. Some scientific jargon slows the action. A sensationalist murder that is shoehorned in. All rushed towards the end but neatly wrapped up, I guess.

In short…

I enjoyed it but it didn’t rock my world. Nothing mind-blowing. A fair 7/10

the new me by halle butler

Dear oh dear. What is the meaning of these ‘sharp’ and ‘funny’ books about young women having nervous breakdowns? Am I alone in finding them a bit… dull? I just don’t get it. Maybe I’ve not lived on that knife edge so it doesn’t speak to me – but I’d have thought a bit more substance wouldn’t go amiss anyhow?

Millie works as a temp in an office. She dislikes the job but needs must, etc. She also seems to be going through some sort of existential crisis. Her supervisor plots to get rid of her, while Millie mistakenly believes she’ll be offered a permanent role. That’s… about it. I kept expecting some sort of dramatic twist but none was forthcoming. Millie spends a lot of the book grunting or crying or sending pert emails. She has a brief break at her parents’ house. Then it’s back to the grind.

I’m not sure what I’m supposed to take from this book. Yes life sucks, sometimes a lot – yes, people are horrendous, mostly – yes, it would be nice to identify with characters in books about our humdrum lives, too. But, really? Millie is awful. No redeeming features. I don’t really care what happens to her. And despite the promotional guff on the front cover, this book is not funny. At all. Unless I’ve had a sense of humour bypass.

There seems to be a swathe of similar books peppering book shelves at the moment – I get that women want to present realistic stories that speak to us plebs, but this did not work at all. I’ll swerve this genre for the foreseeable.

In short…

Boring, slight, kind of nullifying – not a good book at all. Only a paltry 1/10 because I managed to finish reading it

the amateur marriage by anne tyler

Back on solid ground, phew. I can confidently say that I have not read a bad book by the great AT yet, and this is no exception. How does she do it? How does she craft such exquisite stories? They’re not even about anything! Just people, doing people things! But they’re brilliant!

This is pretty much a story about a married couple. Each chapter is at a different stage of their marriage: how they meet, a few years later with kids, a devastating situation, etc. It works supremely well, as each time you’re aware of the history and keen to know what’s occurred in the intervening years, which AT reveals with innate skill – no exposition here, no ma’am. And these people! Michael and Pauline: flawed human beings, with feelings and motives, they do terrible things to each other but there’s still love! You get why they’re together; you get why they fight. It’s real and complicated and totally believable.

There may not be the total emotional rush that some of her other books have; more a poignant acceptance of how things turn out – but it’s still an engaging read, precisely paced and so well written. I love AT.

In short…

Another top read from one of my faves. Yes queen 🙌🏽 9/10

the vaster wilds by lauren groff

Finished this a few days ago, only just had a chance to sit and write the review. But actually gave me time to absorb what I’d read – this is an odd book, I wasn’t certain what I was expecting, it didn’t grab me at the beginning, but by the end I was gripped.

A young girl escapes from a fortified town in the depths of winter. Something has occurred to make her flee; there’s plague in the town, and she’s being chased; it’s enough to make her face the dangers of the wilderness. As the book goes on we get more information – the girl is a servant in a family of pilgrims, the setting is somewhere in America in the 1600s. The girl is surprisingly resourceful. I’m not sure I’d survive ten minutes let alone several months. The peril is ever present and she suffers immeasurably. It’s a tough read on occasion.

The historical detail is fantastic, I especially liked the girl’s reminiscences about her life in London before they left on their voyage. There’s a particularly poignant account of the journey by sea. I also liked the incredible about of description of the landscape; the author manages to evoke a place of great beauty and horror.

The ending is no surprise really, but still a sad one. The reason as to why the girl escaped from the town is revealed and it’s not for the faint-hearted. Life back then was grim, to put it mildly. Makes me thankful for my creature comforts of the modern age.

In short…

Definitely tricky to get into, but once you’re there, this is a brilliant read. I’m keen to read other things by this author now. A solid 9/10

romantic comedy by curtis sittenfield

The relief! A good book at last! I very enjoyed reading this one. I have read a few books by this author and recall liking those as well, so had high hopes anyway – and was not let down. Phew! I thought I was broken!

This is – as the title suggests – a romantic comedy, based largely on the notion that a mega-famous, handsome, successful male musician would never fall in love (or be attracted to) a ‘normal’ woman. Sally is the normal woman although she does have what I would consider not-a-normal job (writer for a live TV comedy show – a fictional SNL type thing), so it’s not like she’s a shelf stacker in Tesco. But anyway – she’s plain and neurotic and makes bad decisions, just like we do – so when Noah, a tan blonde handsome musician, guest stars on the show, there’s a mutual attraction which they’ll surely act on – won’t they?

The plot unfolds like a typical romantic comedy, and there’s plenty of references to the fact that it’s like they’re in a romantic comedy, and there’s lots of technical discussion about what constitutes a romantic comedy, so sometimes it feels very meta – but it’s done in a clever, engaging way – narrative format changes mean you don’t get bored reading about the on/offness of these two (sometimes annoying) people. Yes, obviously, you kind of know what’s going to happen – that’s the whole point, right? – but it’s fun getting there.

In short…

Easy to read and fun from the start, you may be put off by the Americanness but that would be a shame – this is a modern love story. A solid 8/10

memphis by tara m. stringfellow

Yeah, said I was going to read a light-hearted book and went and picked up this one instead. What was I thinking? Dunno – maybe the pretty colours on the cover fooled me. But here we go – rape, domestic violence, murder, gang warfare, racism, 9/11 – yes. A jolly yarn. Ha.

Told from the point of view of three women, the story starts as Miriam returns to her childhood home in Memphis with her daughters Joan and Mya in tow, after leaving their abusive dad. But old trauma resurfaces when they encounter Miriam’s nephew Derek. Fun times! Actually, as a story, it’s fairly engaging (though I wouldn’t say enjoyable), and I do like reading about families through the ages kind of thing. It’s an insight into the daily struggles Black people – and especially Black women – faced in the mid-twentieth century, and obviously still today. It’s also a love letter to Memphis (which I visited once, many many years ago).

Personally, the jumps back and forth in time did not quite work this time. Sometimes it’s a highly effective narrative tool – this just felt jarring – I couldn’t keep the sequence of events straight in my head (this could be entirely my issue, obvs), which means I lost any sense of the tragedy as a whole.

Also had a sense that this book is just not for me. You know? And that’s absolutely fine. Not every book has to reach everyone. Just pointing out why it probably didn’t hit home.

In short…

Structure a bit crunchy for me, but there was an OK story in there – even if it wasn’t the joy-fest I was after, 6/10