Bits of Books: Lost Reviews from 2017, Part One

It's a little shocking, really: here I was, just scrolling through my old Drafts folder for the blog from 2018, trying to see if I had any half-finished reviews lurking around anywhere, when I saw them. Like a digital graveyard of discarded words, I found seven different Draft posts from 2017, just sitting there, waiting for publication. I had written down a paragraph or two of scattered words - some of them a little more than that, and some of them even more little than that - and left them there, in good faith that I would return. 

So here I am, returning, to these poor forgotten books that I had thought about so long ago! And, for fun's sake, I thought I'd include a few words on each on what I think of them now, in retrospect, as well. I mean, it's been over a year... my thoughts can't have changed much, can they? 



Boy Snow Bird, Helen Oyeyemi

This purchase came as a direct result of how absolutely gorgeous this cover is. Oyeyemi's writing style is similarly enchanting, and I quickly fell in love with her voice, which perfectly fleshed out a period novel of racial tension and unique magic into a story that could really capture your attention for an afternoon's quick read. Unfortunately, the story kind of lost its way in the second half, and I felt the ending was a little confused, but for the most part, I enjoyed this novel a lot, and take it as a welcome introduction to this author's work. Now Me: My only recollections of this novel are positive: I read it while on a camping vacation, so my immediate recalls involve plenty of sunshine and a whole lot of greenery. Funny enough, though, I can't remember what I didn't like about the ending! I think 2019 would be a great year to revisit Oyeyemi's voice...

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work at the White House, Alyssa Mastromonaco

This engaging and lighthearted account of a White House insider's extraordinary job, and extraordinary experiences, was an easy read and a fast finish. While I wish the book's chapters had been ordered chronologically, instead of by career principles - as the author explained she did on purpose - I thought her deliberate attempts at sounding young and conversational were unique perspectives to take, as they aren't typical to books of this nature. The book also also could have benefited from an index of names, to keep track of her many work friendships and the ways they interacted. I thought the best parts of the book involved Mastromonaco's interactions with D.C. notables, and the frenetic pacing of her job schedule.

Now Me: To put it very bluntly, the idea of reading a political memoir in today's social climate makes me want to hurl chunks immediately and repeatedly... but I do remember this one being fairly fun and funny, and her career trajectory was interesting to follow. And I remembered the author's full name without having to Google it, so I must have liked it that much. The only plans I have for reading politics this year come in the form of Michelle Obama's Becoming, though. 



Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things that Happened, Allie Brosh

I was so excited to finally get the chance to read this memoir, told primarily through Brosh's characteristic and Internet-famous rudimentary-figured comics, that I finished the whole thing in two sittings. The book was both a quick read, and so compellingly written, that it was easy to fly through, enjoying the whole experience. In particular, Brosh's openness about her history with depression, and ability to communicate her struggles in an empathetic and accessible way, were some of the most enthralling elements of the book; however, her exceptional use of simplistic artistic designs to evoke big laughs was another significant strength of this long-popular read.

Now Me: Fans of Brosh might remember that in 2017 - when this post was written - she had widely retreated from the public eye... she has always been incredibly open and well-documented about her struggles with anxiety and depression, as they are a main focus of her works, and she had not published on her blog in a very long time. While the same remains true now, at the top of 2019, I would love nothing more than a resurgence of this honest and gifted writer. 

Do you have any older reads that you've been thinking about lately? What kinds of files are buried in your computer? Let me know, in the comments below!