BookTalkTuesday

Greek Lessons is a book for the literati. Those who are familiar with Han Kang expect that. But Greek Lessons is more esoteric than say The Vegetarian . On the onset of the novel, we're introduced to a woman who has lost her ability to speak. As her muteness silences her world, she enters a class studying Greek. The professor, who finds the young woman magnetizing, is seeing his world disappear as his vision is deteriorating. The story then interweaves these two stories of lost senses together; eventually, their two worlds become interconnected and eventually collide. The framework here seems obvious, but Kang's craft is unparallel. The text weaves the two narratives together fairly seamlessly, but eventually, the text becomes sparse, optioning for poetry over proseoOr foregoing traditional prose and spacing single sentences out over pages. At other times, the silence bounces through the text in staccato fashion. These moments are a highlight as the text feels rich. Discussio

Billed as a follow up to his National Book Award nominated  Hey, Kiddo — Sunshine  is a story that attempts to fill in Krosoczka’s high school years while he counsels at a camp for kids with cancer. But let's be clear, Sunshine really isn't a follow up. The threads created in Hey, Kiddo  are only scantly referenced. In fact, Sunshine  is so insular, it's like calling White Bird  a follow up to Wonder . They exist in the same universe, but the events within are nothing alike.  At least with other books that exist in the same universe, say The Hate U Give  and Concrete Rose , the worlds collide on more than a surface level. And while they exist independently, they are enhanced with the reading of the other. The same could not be said for Sunshine . Outside of knowing just a little bit more information, the events and the world within are completely isolated. So now I'm left with managing expectations versus evaluating what I got. To be clear, Sunshine  is clearly a book t

This #BookTalkTuesday brings you Untethered Sky by @FondaJLee - easily one of the best fantasy stories I’ve read in a long time. Tightly constructed and totally immersive, even non-fantasy readers should take a look. #book #books #booktalk #BooksWorthReading pic.twitter.com/NirmrPL1rL — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) April 25, 2023

This #BookTalkTuesday is the third book following Jordan Banks and his friends, and this time they’re off to Paris. Like New Kid and Class Act, @JerryCraft creates another stellar middle grade graphic novel. #book #books #booktalk #bookfluencer pic.twitter.com/0Fqaw1fX6q — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) April 18, 2023

Camp Zero feels like the kind of book that works on all fronts. Each of the three different narrations are as interesting at the beginning as they are at the end, momentum carries the book from start to finish, and the way the three stories coalesce is masterclass.  But I can't quite put my finger on it. It always felt exciting enough, but you sort of waited for the story to be amped up to eleven. It never quite gets there. The pace set forth at the beginning remains steadfast. At no point does the story waiver. It continually introduces enough elements to the world to keep you interested. And author Michelle Min Sterling never breadcrumbs us. That is to say, she gives you enough revelations about the past to give you satisfaction, something many current dystopias (Our Missing Hearts, I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself ) fail to do. And it all works, but the actual events of the story are a bit flaccid. This is a dystopia with an espionage angle, but while the dystopia works, the esp

This #BookTalkTuesday brings you What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by @clairedjimenez - one of the best of the year so far. This books need to blow up because it’s so good. The style is off the charts. #book #books #BookBoost #booktalk pic.twitter.com/tDyLGbjh9S — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) April 11, 2023

This #BookTalkTuesday brings you Poverty, By America by @just_shelter - a detailed look at the poverty crisis in America. On his way to another Pulitzer - this is eye opening. At a mere 200 pages, you owe yourself to take a look at this. #book #books #poverty #BookRecommendation pic.twitter.com/qmz7tWqv2A — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) April 4, 2023