JJoyce Yu > Recent Status Updates

I’m in love with these characters!! This book is so funny. And totally stands on its own not as a dramione adaptation. Brava!

Really good story. The days just flows on…

Like 100 years of solitude but much more enjoyable read with characters I care about. I think magical realism is still not for me but glad I checked out another one when this title came off of the waitlist

I picked up this book because it’s referenced multiple times in the history books I’ve read as a classic but also one of the first well regarded author out of the Risorgimento. I definitely enjoyed that aspect of it; the author being a Sicilian prince himself; but I actually also liked the writing. The nostalgia and melancholy… adding to my affinity for southern Italy, which reminds me of Qing dynasty China

Very much not squeal

Not squeal

Also squeal

Squeal

Fake Draco and fake hermione are so different from DMATMOOBIL! (In a bad way!) I wonder if I’d’ve enjoyed it more if i didn’t know it’s a DMATMOOBIL rewrite. The plot is honestly nothing like DMATMOOBIL. Unlike rose in chains which is basically the same as the auction. The writing is still superb and the humor still hits just right. I wonder if the changes she made work better with the non-dramione audience

Noo what did they do to the precious cinnamon roll Dorian! The musings about beautiful read very out there but I’m liking this book so far.

Side bar the writing is such a soporific to me 2 pages in and I’m passed out every time. The furthest I got was 3 chapters while getting my nails done 🐌

Ho. Ly. Shit that ending. YAY for vindication but also just… damn.

Jesus Christ this book. I binged 6 hours of it in one sitting.

Actually really enjoyed this. Loved the insights into facets of Italian society. Underlying mystery was pretty good. Very Agatha Christie-esque!

I love this Italian hercule poirot! Can foresee myself reading more in the series. Also I’m now listening to La traviata for the l’ambiente

I’ve decided that murakamis writing is like abstract/surrealist art. I have no doubt it’s amazing but it’s just not for me. The weird thing is I actually really enjoy his writing. I could just read about the husband from windup bird cooking spaghetti and drinking beer forever. It’s so sensory and immersive. But the weird turns he takes and especially the weird sex stuff in this one really lost me

Bruh 😩

Me: trying to appreciate this as a supernatural/metaphysical adventure that doesn’t have to make sense
Murakami: hi I’m colonel sanders

And the weird fixation with sex!! Very creepy and graphic. 😵‍💫

…. Graphic animal abuse….. alrighty. definitely not reading another murakami lol.

Real Hercule parot (no idea how to spell) energy, but the detective also hates on Napoli!

…and we are talking to cats….

(3/3) All in all I’m glad I read it but I’m also curious to read another perspective. Who’s to say if without unification the Italian states really could coexist happily and be better off. They certainly didn’t in the past. Until I see Lombard guy (I have a feeling he’s very prejudiced and anti south so typical) again I’ll just make to make do with good reads reviews and more books on Italy!

(2/3) the chapter on berlusconi and Italian politics is so pessimistic it’s managed to burst my italiaboo bubble a bit. It’s so much like China. Any hope of progress crippled by unending corruption. Also I’ve never read a history book that’s so one sided. I suppose all history probably is partial to some degree but this author is not shy about his views and this reads more like an opinion piece than history

(1/3) This is a bleak bleak book. The author’s disdain towards unification the Risorgimento is pulpable. I recently met a guy from lombardy and I actually asked him about northern independent before I learned about the Lombard league in this book. We got distracted before he answered but now I’m dying to know