By Nicole Krauss
Genre Adult contemporary
Pages 260
Recommended by Book Club
First Sentence When they write my obituary. Tomorrow. Or the next day. It will say. Leo Gursky Is Survived By An Apartment Full Of Shit.
Synopsis
An old man who makes a spectacle of himself to be seen and remembered; a girl whose decided to get her book translating mother remarried; and a man who'll bring his secret to the grave. Their stories come together in this remarkably beautiful and entertaining book.
What it has going for it
I love YA books but reading adult books are so refreshing. They don't all end happy and hopeful and some, like this one, remind you how beautiful writing can be. This book astounded me with it's ability to keep me so entertained and enthralled when nothing was really going on. Not to say nothing was happening, because it was and when it all comes together...Beautiful. There were tears, people. It was funny (look at the first sentence from the book again) and sad and just plain delightful! It makes me want to read more adult books. And it makes me want to read more by this author.
What's lacking
It's all going along fine and all of the sudden you realize you're horribly confused. For a minute I almost felt like giving up. But only for a minute. I knew it would all come together and makes sense in the end. And it did.
Favorite moment
The ending for sure. It was so beautiful and heart wrenching. I cried like a baby.
Yea or Nay?
Yep! Pick this one up and enjoy!
I used to read a lot more adult fiction, but lately I've mostly felt like reading YA. However, having just finished a gorgeously written adult book myself, I think I'm ready for another one. I love that it's both funny and sad, but above all, so wonderfully written.
ReplyDeleteGreat revew.
I read mostly YA too. But, yeah, reading a beautiful adult book makes you wonder why you don't read them more.
DeleteOMG, that first sentence is fantastic! I've been feeling the same way about YA novels lately and have been branching out into adult novels. It's refreshing to get reads from adult POVs, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. Sometimes it is so nice to read an adult book. They are fresh and often the writing is lyrical and quite beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThey are. Definitely refreshing.
DeleteIt makes me feel kind of bad that I didn't read this now. Alas. I guess I can't read them all.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't think I'm going to get to The Scarlet Pimpernel.
DeleteI've been hearing a lot about this one. I should probably read it. Someday ...
ReplyDeleteIf it hadn't been for book club I wouldn't have read it. Thank goodness for book club, right?
DeleteHaha I love this because that first sentence is exactly how I feel. I breathe a sigh of relief sometimes when I read an adult novel because of that exact thing. Altho, when you find a YA novel that gives you the same feeling, it is perfect. This one sounds intriguing, gonna go look it up
ReplyDeleteCait x
Any book, YA or adult, that makes you sigh in relief is a good book.
Delete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI'd love an adult novel right about now! After two straight months of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Heh-heh), I'm ready for something only a grown up could love. ;-)
Lol. Yeah YA is one thing but middle grade can really take its toll on you.
DeleteThat first sentence IS funny. It definitely makes me want to read this!
ReplyDeleteYou should it was beautiful and funny!
DeleteWow! This is the first time I have even seen this book. LOVE that first sentence. It made me lol:) After reading your review I am going to have to pick up a copy! I'm excited that you liked it so much. Thanks for the rec, Jenny.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do read and love it.
DeleteOh, I'm relieved that you liked the ending and how it all came together. I believe I shed a tear or two there too. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was a tear jerker ending.
DeleteThis sounds good, though I'm not in a crying mood right now, but I will keep it in mind for when I am.
ReplyDeleteAlso, YAY! for adult books. I read an overwhelming amount of YA last year so I plan on reading more adult books this year :)
I definitely need to read more adult books.
DeleteI'm not in the mood to sob, but I'm glad you enjoyed this book. I do have a copy on the shelves. Nice to see you mixing in something very different!
ReplyDeleteYes, book club has a great influence on my reading.
DeleteI like the sound of this one, but I'm the kind of person that has to emotionally prepare myself for heart-wrenching endings, as they affect me a lot :P. I don't cry much but I feel sad for days when a book has an upsetting ending! I do like reading them occasionally though, because I think it's good to experience lots of different emotions. Glad you enjoyed this book and found it a refreshing change to YA! :)
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't THAT sad. ;-) :-)
DeleteThis one sounds good. I might check it out!
ReplyDeleteYou should. I think you'd like it.
DeleteCried? SWEET! :) Maybe we'll try another of her books for book club....
ReplyDeleteI didn't weep or anything. ;-)
DeleteGreat review! I don't mind being confused if it eventually sorts itself out. I just can't stand finishing a book and not having the slightest idea what happened! And any book where the ending has you crying like a baby? Sign me up!:)
ReplyDeleteIt all comes together in the end.
DeleteI've never heard of this book before but you have definitely caught my interest with your review! I'm going to go look it up on Goodreads now :) And I know what you mean about adult books! YA is nice, but there is something about adult fiction that is really refreshing!
ReplyDeleteThere really is something refreshing about them, huh?
DeleteHi Jenny. I haven't read your review yet but will in a few secs. I saw your comment over at Suey's about other people's opinions influencing you in what you read and don't. As I wrote a comment below yours, I was thinking of some of the books I loved that others didn't. Books like Poisonwood Bible, The Story of Forgetting, and my favorite - The History of Love. You said you don't often agree with others' opinions and I wanted to see what you read. Imagine my surprise to click on your blog and to find a review of The History of Love. I am anxious to read if you liked it or not. Will comment back in a minute.
ReplyDeleteYea, you liked it! I recommended this to my f2f book club after reading it several summers ago. No one, and I mean no one else, liked it. A few of us were there early and one lady asked me if I'd read it before recommending it. I had - twice. Loved it both times. The other said, "Oh, you're the one who recommended Poisonwood Bible, too." I couldn't believe it. I loved it and how could no one else even like it?
ReplyDeleteLike you there were times of confusion. I remember standing out in my yard, watering the flowers and I couldn't think of anything else but that crazy book. How was it all going to tie together? How could it? It was disturbing but was on my thoughts all the time.
What did the other members of your book club think about it?