reading novels from the goodreads’ choice awards, part two
I finally had time to read four more books. It was a fun time.
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Nominated for Best Science Fiction
3.5/5
I'm not known for being a huge fan of science fiction. I've always perceived the genre as slightly pretentious writing and time travel, which, all things considering, is my own bias. To indulge my own confirmation bias, I chose The Kaiju Prevention Society because it covered one of the other most popular, stereotypical topics of science fiction: dinosaurs, or in this case, dinosaur-adjacent mythical creatures.
The novel follows Jamie Gray, who ends up a food-delivery driver in the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. On one of his shifts, he delivers to an old acquaintance, Tom, who invites him to join his company and do grunt work. Turns out, the company studies creatures named Kaiju that live in an alternate dimension of the Earth. The Kaiju Prevention Society was funny and unique, with surprisingly little info-dumping and an unusually large amount of humor. Reading a novel about Covid-19 can be slightly depressing, but I thought the tone and plot provided an escape rather than a rumination.
I do think a little too much time was spent on the introduction to the world and going through the regular schedule of things in the Kaiju Prevention Society. It got to the point where I was checking how many pages were left and wondering when the main conflict would start, or worrying there was no main conflict at all. However, once the plot did start moving everything fell into place and started becoming more and more interesting.
The hyperfocus on the plot and the formulaic storytelling did serve for the book’s own detriment; good emotional scenes and character development that we could have seen were overshadowed by the next stages of the novel. Some scenarios with the potential to become very impactful got reduced to less than half of what it could have been.
All the characters were fun and enjoyable to read about. Jamie was an interesting main character to view the world through. While not really an interesting main character by himself, I found that it worked nonetheless during world-building because he was the perfect amount of clueless and vague for the reader to insert themselves in the action as well. The side characters were equally satisfying, especially Tom, and the antagonists were well-developed.
I would recommend The Kaiju Prevention Society to readers that don't usually read science fiction, because it wasn't as complicated as I know ome science fiction books can be. It was surprisingly and fortunately accessible. On the other hand, if you are well-versed in the science fiction genre, I don't know if this novel is the one that will peak your interest.
2. All That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown
Nominated for Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction
4.5/5
I'm not really sure why I chose to read two science fiction books back-to-back, knowing that I wasn't familiar and largely intimidated by the genre. It's a miracle I ended up liking both of them.
All That's Left in the World is a dual-pov novel centered on main characters Andrew and Jamie as they meet in the middle of a post-apocalyptic, disease-infested world. Lending help but not trading essential secrets, both Andrew and Jamie find companionship in each other while trying to endure and survive the new world, making for a novel rich in plot and emotional intelligence.
With dual-pov novels, I'm always worried about character voice, and whether the distinction between characters is pronounced enough between chapters to easily distinguish which character is narrating. Unfortunately, All That's Left in the World fell victim to this homogeneity. While Andrew and Jamie had their own likes and dislikes, when they were speaking of their similarities it was easy to forget who actually was narrating. This problem is best seen through the epilogue; it is never named who is narrating and unfortunately, I had zero idea. Besides this, Andrew and Jamie were both incredibly likable once their romance blossomed, it was easy to root for them.
The style of writing was of higher quality, compared to other books in a similar genre. Despite the fact that at times, it's difficult to distinguish between both characters, the general line of narration has the perfect blend of complex vocabulary and readable dialogue.
While the novel has the classic end-of-the-world storyline, it did include some interesting diversions from the traditional formula. Of course, some conflicts and conclusions were easily predictable but I was surprised more than enough times to be satisfied.
I don't usually like describing books by comparing it to other books—I think it doesn't do either of the books justice—but All That's Left in the World is like an upgraded They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the latter, and also anyone who enjoys good character development and collapsing civilization.
3. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Nominated for Best Memoir and Autobiography
5/5
I was hesitant going into I'm Glad My Mom Died. I'm not known to be a notorious nonfiction lover—to the point where all the goals regarding reading more nonfiction I've set for myself for the past three years have not been accomplished. Not even one. That seems to be the common thread through this second part of reading from the 2022 Goodreads' Choice Awards: not only bring me out of my comfort zone, but to the zone I specifically dislike.
Still, the overwhelming positive reviews had real merit. I'm Glad My Mom Died is definitely one of the best memoirs out there. A detailed exploration of Nickelodeon child star Jennette McCurdy's childhood, journey through stardom, and the resulting catastrophic aftershocks, the memoir had me with my jaw dropped more than once. McCurdy never shies away from the brutal details of her physical and emotional abuse at the hands of both her mother and the entertainment industry, and for good reason—the resulting story is all the more impactful. It's already been a couple of weeks since I've completely finished the memoir but every so often a particularly poignant line or phrase will resurface. The memoir not only serves for a momentarily intense reading experience, but also has a long lasting effect.
I'm Glad My Mom Died is less an expose of Nickelodeon and child stardom, and more an honest look at the behind-the-scenes of McCurdy's life. With passages about substance abuse, eating disorders, and abusive parental relationships, I can't imagine this was easy to write. I applaud McCurdy for having the strength to go through her saddening memories and find a story worth sharing. The title and general marketing of this memoir seem to portray it as a comedy, perhaps humorous take on an unfortunate childhood, but there is very little real humor involved in the pages. Dry humor, perhaps, but nothing one would laugh out loud at.
The writing was decently well-done, but I refuse to speak ill about the method in which such a meaningful story, for I feel it takes away from the importance of the story itself. Still, when the writing was good, it was really good. The change from a more childish voice when McCurdy recounted her childhood years, to the more anxious, angry, and exhausted speech of a young adult was done flawlessly.
For anyone who wishes to read I'm Glad My Mom Died, I say proceed with caution. Please check all the trigger and content warnings, and only start reading once you are absolutely sure this is something you will be fine and want to experience. The dialogue and concluding revelations are raw, not tailored or altered for better general consumption. That being said, I truly believe this an incredibly well-constructed piece of literature, though I don't think I would ever wholeheartedly recommend it.
4. A Taste for Poison by Neil Bradbury, Ph.D
Nominated for Best Nonfiction
3.5/5
A Taste for Poison is an incredible mixture of both intricate science and true crime. Following a select eleven poisons, the novel explains their harmful impacts and unique structure through delving into the crimes in which they were used.
There were instances where the chemistry went way into depth, really quickly, and lost my attention and interest. There definitely could’ve been a better blend or transition between basic chemical formulas or properties and the more complex side of chemistry. In addition, after reading through five to six poisons, the rest felt very repetitive, for the structure for describing each of the poisons was largely the same throughout. I listened to the audiobook for A Taste for Poison while doing menial chores. If I was reading it as a written book, I don’t know whether I would have continued to pick it up.
Speaking of the audiobook, the audiobook for A Taste for Poison is amazing. The narrator is British, and that mixed with the content made it feel like I was listening to a particularly brutal National Geographic special, or a really good podcast. The crimes were described interestingly, and definitely drew me in before delving into the chemistry—which was still pretty enjoyable to listen to, high praise from someone who hates chemistry. I’d recommend A Taste for Poison to true crime fans, even those who do not normally consume nonfiction.