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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated My Life As A Rat in Books
Dec 6, 2022
218 of 230
Book
My life as a Rat
By Joyce Carol Oates
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Which should prevail: loyalty to family or loyalty to the truth? Is telling the truth ever a mistake and is lying for one’s family ever justified? Can one do the right thing, but bitterly regret it?
My Life as a Rat follows Violet Rue Kerrigan, a young woman who looks back upon her life in exile from her family following her testimony, at age twelve, concerning what she knew to be the racist murder of an African-American boy by her older brothers. In a succession of vividly recalled episodes Violet contemplates the circumstances of her life as the initially beloved youngest child of seven Kerrigan children who inadvertently “informs” on her brothers, setting into motion their arrests and convictions and her own long estrangement.
This was one of those books that just had you shocked to the core from the start. It’s raw and hard to read in parts. It’s well written and up until the last quarter I was enjoying it but it just got a bit tedious. This does have a few triggers for abuse and racism! Overall it’s a good read.
Book
My life as a Rat
By Joyce Carol Oates
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Which should prevail: loyalty to family or loyalty to the truth? Is telling the truth ever a mistake and is lying for one’s family ever justified? Can one do the right thing, but bitterly regret it?
My Life as a Rat follows Violet Rue Kerrigan, a young woman who looks back upon her life in exile from her family following her testimony, at age twelve, concerning what she knew to be the racist murder of an African-American boy by her older brothers. In a succession of vividly recalled episodes Violet contemplates the circumstances of her life as the initially beloved youngest child of seven Kerrigan children who inadvertently “informs” on her brothers, setting into motion their arrests and convictions and her own long estrangement.
This was one of those books that just had you shocked to the core from the start. It’s raw and hard to read in parts. It’s well written and up until the last quarter I was enjoying it but it just got a bit tedious. This does have a few triggers for abuse and racism! Overall it’s a good read.
Merissa (12788 KP) rated Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2) in Books
May 20, 2023
This is an epic book that is based in 1920's New York, and everything you can associate with that - including flappers, parties and racism, to name but a few. A sleeping sickness is sweeping New York, starting off in Chinatown. It is up to Evie and a cast of characters to figure out what is happening and how to stop it.
This is the second book in the series and as such I would recommend reading book 1, The Diviners. I haven't and will admit to feeling slightly lost when the characters would think about or discuss what had happened before. The characters are all well-established with their own quirks and foibles by the time this book starts, so it did take a while to actually feel like I knew these people. Personally, my favourite characters were Ling and Henry, and the friendship that developed between them.
A dark, gothic and creepy book that may give you shivers, definitely recommended if you are on the lookout for something a bit different.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 15, 2016
This is the second book in the series and as such I would recommend reading book 1, The Diviners. I haven't and will admit to feeling slightly lost when the characters would think about or discuss what had happened before. The characters are all well-established with their own quirks and foibles by the time this book starts, so it did take a while to actually feel like I knew these people. Personally, my favourite characters were Ling and Henry, and the friendship that developed between them.
A dark, gothic and creepy book that may give you shivers, definitely recommended if you are on the lookout for something a bit different.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 15, 2016
Merissa (12788 KP) rated Heart of the Warrior (All The King's Men, #2) in Books
Jun 2, 2023
Arion has it all... maybe. He has domineering parents who want what is their version of what is best for him. He has been best friends with Io for many years, but Io is a man-whore homophobic. Then Severin shows up at AKM and all of Arion's pre-set ideals get blown out of the water.
Donya Lynne deals with some serious subjects in this book - peer pressure, familial pressure, coming out, betrayal, one-parent families, and racism to name just a few. It never feels like it is forced in any way though. It is all relevant to the story of Ari and Sev, which makes it all the more poignant.
I loved how Micah got to show off his sagely wisdom, in his own inimitable style; with Trace and Sam there with him every step of the way.
Extremely well-written, packed full of emotion, and certainly no editing or grammatical errors that I found, this is a book to savour, to devour, and enjoy again and again! Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 13, 2016
Donya Lynne deals with some serious subjects in this book - peer pressure, familial pressure, coming out, betrayal, one-parent families, and racism to name just a few. It never feels like it is forced in any way though. It is all relevant to the story of Ari and Sev, which makes it all the more poignant.
I loved how Micah got to show off his sagely wisdom, in his own inimitable style; with Trace and Sam there with him every step of the way.
Extremely well-written, packed full of emotion, and certainly no editing or grammatical errors that I found, this is a book to savour, to devour, and enjoy again and again! Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 13, 2016