Books I've Rated 5 / 5
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The New Jim CrowMass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Finished
I was entirely prepared to give this book five stars but she totally lost me with the pitch to give up (??) affirmative action near the end. I never really got the crux of her argument there so it’s possible I just entirely misunderstood it, but it felt way off base, especially on the heels of a section about how “color-blind” policies will never solve these problems.
Nah, I’m giving it five stars anyway.
Regardless of that concern this is a very, very important book and I would recommend literally everybody read it. It’s even got a little dig at Joe Biden, who currently appears to be preparing to ride Obama’s popularity to a Democratic nomination, when in fact he’s been a big part of the problem for years and years.
She comes at the issue with a level head and does a very good job addressing a lot of counterarguments and proposed half-measures. In that evenhanded approach, she does have a bit where she concedes that society has mostly moved past overt racism, which already feels incredibly naïve in the era of Trump. But you can see where it came from.
Read this book. Even if you feel like you know, you probably don’t know just the extent of the systemic injustice at play in the modern justice system and governmental structure. I thought I knew. I did know some things. But man. Read this.
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Vita Nostra
Finished
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The Power
Finished
In just under the wire, probably my favorite read of the year. The framing at the beginning and end of the novel may be heavy-handed but I love it and it justifies itself with all the stuff in the middle. The characters are engaging, the world Alderman builds is fascinating, and the storyline pays off—it’s not just an interesting idea that fizzles out in the final pages. It never drags. It’s definitely dark in places, but it wasn’t totally depressing. I would highly recommend this book.
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I'm Afraid of Men
Finished
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Trial by Fire
Finished
One of my favorite genre books in a long time. Such an interesting world, magic system, political structure. It’s not particularly literary, focusing more on characters, dialog, and plot than on evocation or atmosphere, and honestly a bunch of its pieces are standard fare for YA with a female protagonist (I don’t know if the author considers this YA but it shares some traits regardless: outcast, “broken” girl is suddenly very important, torn between two boys, etc). Yet it still does a really great job fleshing out this world. I’m really looking forward to the next one.
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Skip to the End
Finished
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The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories
Finished
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The Fire Next Time
Finished
I read Ta-Nehisi Coates’s [b:Between the World and Me 25489625 Between the World and Me Ta-Nehisi Coates https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451435027s/25489625.jpg 44848425] last year, a book that obviously draws a lot of inspiration from this one (including, I think, its title?). I’d recommend this book to anyone. It’s a very short read, and it’s very insightful. On top of that, while it’s always worth noting that the abused have no obligation to consider the feelings of their abuser, Baldwin’s words here are sympathetic and perhaps forgiving. I want to say more but everything I write just sounds dumb. Just read it, it’s short.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 blog post re: Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 blog post re: Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 blog post re: Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 blog post re: Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 blog post re: Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 Note Re: Rowling
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Career of Evil
Finished
Note: please see my 2025 Note Re: Rowling
Original Review
Rowling (as Galbraith) is really a fantastic storyteller. This book is pure genre fiction, no doubt, but it's also very well executed. I particularly enjoyed this installment, in which Rowling's own convictions (many of which I share) shone through without ever seeming heavy-handed or detracting from the story.
