2 mini Book Reviews (“not-super-mini-but-I-tried” part-2)

 

image source: Goodreads

Book: This is Where I leave You

Author: Jonathan Tropper

Genre: Fiction, Humor, Contemporary

Excerpt from Goodreads Summary:

The death of Judd Foxman’s father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family—including Judd’s mother, brothers, and sister—have been together in years….

Judd joins the rest of the Foxmans as they reluctantly submit to their patriarch’s dying request: to spend the seven days following the funeral together…

As the week quickly spins out of control, longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed, and old passions reawakened…

My take:

“This is Where I Leave You” is one of the most misogynist novels wrapped in a shiny package I’ve read till date.

In the name of humor, the author depicted-

i) graphic description of sex which went beyond erotica and became plain annoying,

ii) jokes on farts/human orifices/cleavage,

iii) implying again and again that how ambitious, driven single women over a certain age should be made for laughing stock/objects of sugar-coated pity.

 

The plot revolves around 7 days of mourning (acc. to Jews custom) of the patriarch of a dysfunctional family.

Believe in me when I say that the family members did everything except mourning.

 

Oh, there were some lines about missing “him” thrown in-between, but they came across  as- guilty after-thoughts.

While reading the book, I had a suspicion that the author tried very hard to model it after a “standard” Hollywood comedy- involving a crazy family with crazier secrets.

After finishing it off, I Googled and found out there was a movie made on it already.

Next time Mr. Author, try to be less obvious.

Regarding sex scenes, it felt the people here would fornicate with anything that walks and has a genitalia.

To paraphrase Jaime Lannister-

“The things they do for humor” 

 

My rating: 2 / 5

 

 

image source: Goodreads

 

Book: The Fisherman

Author: John Langan

Genre: Weird Fiction, Horror, Fantasy

Excerpt from Goodreads Summary:

In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman’s Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir…

When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other’s company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story.

Soon, though, the men find themselves drawn into a tale as deep and old as the Reservoir…

My Take:

Do you have any Legen-Wait For It… DARY shelf somewhere for books that made you glued to it till 4.30 AM?

For me, “The Fisherman” would go straight-up to my L.G.E.N.D.A.R.Y shelf.

The blurb sounds depressingly adventurous-

Two loner widowers took up fishing to forget the insurmountable loss and along the way, unraveling a secret since antiquity along the shore.

But “The Fisherman” is anything but depressing.

The theme is pretty dark but compensated by

• an intriguing plot
• near-flawless writing
• detailing that won’t bore you (a novelty for a fidgety reader like yours truly) and
• that jaw-dropping ending. 

 

 

Since the punch-to-the-gut “Bird-Box“, I’ve read few horror/fantasy novels but they couldn’t hold a candle to “The Fisherman“.

 

Even if you’re not a fan of horror, I’d recommend you to give this book a shot.

 

For an empathetic reader who wants to feel for the characters (including their deep flaws and mistakes), it couldn’t be better than “The Fisherman“.

My rating: 4.5 / 5

 

Here’s my not-so-mini book review Part-1.

What horror/humour book would you like to suggest? Do spill out.

 

 

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