“The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline (audio book)

Considering its popularity, this YA novel was not what I expected. It contained quite a bit about the miseries of the indigenous population, and much less SF story telling than I thought it would. The SF aspect seemed just a veneer for exploring the loss of culture, the dehumanization etc etc.

“When We Lost our Heads” by Heather O’Neill

 Much of the book was not a pleasant read. Sadie and Marie were quite callous antiheroes and it contained a lot of sexual violence and inequality, and poverty. Women were used as a disposable commodity. If they died in childbirth or getting an abortion, so be it. Their factory boss or husband or jilted lover moved on to someone else.

And yet, O’Neill tied everything together so nicely that by the end, I actually had to admit that I had enjoyed the book. Additionally, I love the whimsy of O’Neill’s similes. They give her books a magical air. And I always enjoy reading about Montreal.

“Slow Horses” by Mick Herron (audio book)

 This was my first audio book. It was quite an enjoyable read, and very close to the tv series.

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 I cannot say that this book is beautifully written. I found the writing style to be a bit harsh for my taste. And yet, it is the most compelling book I’ve read in ages. I honestly couldn’t put it down. Initially it seemed to be a mundane Hollywood tell all. But it quickly evolved into a story about the complexities of how and who we love, and about the morally gray area of motivation. And at its very heart, it is a beautiful love story. 

Of course, the Hollywood press usually gets it wrong in the book, because they are so cleverly manipulated by their subjects. It’s quite amazing, the wide gulf between truth and “press” and what we tell ourselves. I admired the ruthless honesty of Evelyn Hugo.

“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus

 I enjoyed this book quite a bit and it was an easy read. Elizabeth Zott is an interesting and very independent heroine from the 1950’s and 60’s, at a time when women were horribly downtrodden. There was more sadness and less satire than I expected, but the ending was nice. I guess this was a bit of a fairytale, but the world needs more of those.

“The Drowned Cities” by Paulo Bacigalupi

 A difficult read in parts but well worth it. Tool was an interesting war hybrid character. Too bad Mahlia had only 4 fingers left at the end.

“The Bullet that Missed” by Richard Osman

 This third book in The Thursday Murder Club series started slowly, but picked up and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Towards the end, I couldn’t put it down. And surprisingly, it wasn’t the human interactions but the mystery itself that intrigued me. The human interactions are very nice, but they are becoming a bit repetitive. Osman is quite clever in continuously introducing new characters. I do think that I will enjoy Victor, the former KGB chief and good friend of Elizabeth’s. I also like that the book ended by pointing out that in the end, it’s the people we know that matters in life.