What stands out about your review style is that even your negative critiques are delivered with kindness and thoughtfulness. It makes your videos fun to watch because I know it's always going to be a chill time.
I just finished the audiobook. Melissa Broder narrates it herself and she did an incredible job. You're right about the conversation with the Bulgarian woman, and I enjoyed the first half more as well. Many of the passages made me smile and laugh. The imaginary conversation she has with the rabbits also put a huge smile on my face.
I felt similar! This was my first Melissa Broder novel and I had high expectations for the book. I thought the beginning was funny and she set up some really wonderful characters but I felt like I was waiting for literally anything to happen. I was fatigued and incredibly thirsty crawling through that desert with her and felt incredibly avoidant when dealing with both her father and husband...which made me realize how great of a book Death Valley is. I don't think I've had such a physical reading experience in quite sometime which speaks to her world building! However, I was so ready to be out of her situation haha
My exact thoughts about this book. It did such incredible things with some themes, but it lost me on the second half and especially with the ending. Great revoew! You are looking more radiant with every video :)
I'm a huge Broder fan and I also preferred The Pisces to Milk Fed, however I absolutely loved Death Valley (including the feverish surrealist desert dream and the questions she asked herself while struggling out there in the desert !! ❤)
What a great review! I totally get where you're coming from. I read it and loved it through and through - even though I can definitely recognize some of your criticisms. I think part of the reason why it worked so well for me is that I grew up in the Mojave desert, which is the desert that Death Valley is in. I could relate to not only the imagery, but the whole experience of the second half of the book. Not that I've ever been in that kind of dire situation in the desert, but when a person is out in desert nature, all of that stuff feels very close at hand. Also the particular style of fever dreamishness she used felt very desert based. I know I'm talking about "the desert" as if it's something maybe bigger than it is, but desert people might know that it really does feel like that. It's kind of all consuming. Ok, THAT was long. The desert is weird, and so was this book, and i loved it. lol. ok, thanks Willow! - oh! also, I'm currently reading So Sad Today - her personal essays and it's great, it really goes into a lot of the themes of her novels.
Good review! I’ve never read Broder before, but this one was on my TBR. Maybe I should start with one of her others instead. It sounds like the first half of this one has a lot that I relate to as well, but I’m not sure about the fever dream and wall flinging themes.
You DO look more radiant every day! I was thinking that when I saw someone else wrote the same thing. As for the book, your reviewing is better than ever. So appreciate it.💜🏜️💜
I absolutely love your book reviews. I wonder if you might have some recommendations for books that are dark and twisty, a bit chaotic. Similar to Cursed Bread by Sophie Mackintosh or Sarah Bernstein's - Study for Obedience? It's not quite a genre so I don't know what I am looking for. Books that are almost 'fantastical' without being fantasy.
I'm planning to read Death Valley, but I haven't read Melissa Broder before. After hearing your review, I'm thinking that I shouldn't start with this one. Which of her books should I read first?
On the topic of Lara Croft squeezing through caves / narrow sections. It’s a very common way to hide loading the next scenery in games, as well as a narrative device.
I am trying to like this book but it was drag to finish. Thank God each chapter was short. I will admit she has a lot of imagination and knows how to work intricate sentences and play with words but boring for my taste. Ah! It was funny in some parts but she goes on and on situations that she could stop. The young husband for example. Ok. She wants to see him healthy but she goes on and on. The cactus situation was ok one time but twice too much. To see his father 2-3 times ok but not 10 times ( child, Bartmitzva, with mustache etc)
What stands out about your review style is that even your negative critiques are delivered with kindness and thoughtfulness. It makes your videos fun to watch because I know it's always going to be a chill time.
I just finished the audiobook. Melissa Broder narrates it herself and she did an incredible job. You're right about the conversation with the Bulgarian woman, and I enjoyed the first half more as well. Many of the passages made me smile and laugh. The imaginary conversation she has with the rabbits also put a huge smile on my face.
The rabbits were definitely a highlight!
I felt similar! This was my first Melissa Broder novel and I had high expectations for the book. I thought the beginning was funny and she set up some really wonderful characters but I felt like I was waiting for literally anything to happen. I was fatigued and incredibly thirsty crawling through that desert with her and felt incredibly avoidant when dealing with both her father and husband...which made me realize how great of a book Death Valley is. I don't think I've had such a physical reading experience in quite sometime which speaks to her world building! However, I was so ready to be out of her situation haha
My exact thoughts about this book. It did such incredible things with some themes, but it lost me on the second half and especially with the ending. Great revoew! You are looking more radiant with every video :)
Yes, more and more radiant. I've been noticing, too!💜🌅💜
Love your eloquence and energy! Great review!
I'm a huge Broder fan and I also preferred The Pisces to Milk Fed, however I absolutely loved Death Valley (including the feverish surrealist desert dream and the questions she asked herself while struggling out there in the desert !! ❤)
What a great review! I totally get where you're coming from. I read it and loved it through and through - even though I can definitely recognize some of your criticisms. I think part of the reason why it worked so well for me is that I grew up in the Mojave desert, which is the desert that Death Valley is in. I could relate to not only the imagery, but the whole experience of the second half of the book. Not that I've ever been in that kind of dire situation in the desert, but when a person is out in desert nature, all of that stuff feels very close at hand. Also the particular style of fever dreamishness she used felt very desert based. I know I'm talking about "the desert" as if it's something maybe bigger than it is, but desert people might know that it really does feel like that. It's kind of all consuming. Ok, THAT was long. The desert is weird, and so was this book, and i loved it. lol. ok, thanks Willow! - oh! also, I'm currently reading So Sad Today - her personal essays and it's great, it really goes into a lot of the themes of her novels.
Good review! I’ve never read Broder before, but this one was on my TBR. Maybe I should start with one of her others instead. It sounds like the first half of this one has a lot that I relate to as well, but I’m not sure about the fever dream and wall flinging themes.
Well that was one rollercoaster of a review! 😅 I'm still curious but only because I love the abstract 🧠✨
You DO look more radiant every day! I was thinking that when I saw someone else wrote the same thing. As for the book, your reviewing is better than ever. So appreciate it.💜🏜️💜
I absolutely love your book reviews. I wonder if you might have some recommendations for books that are dark and twisty, a bit chaotic. Similar to Cursed Bread by Sophie Mackintosh or Sarah Bernstein's - Study for Obedience? It's not quite a genre so I don't know what I am looking for. Books that are almost 'fantastical' without being fantasy.
I have Cursed Bread but haven’t read it yet. When I do, I might have a better idea of what you mean, but I’ll still have a think :)
@@WillowTalksBooks ooh. I'd love to know your thoughts on it. 🥰
I'm planning to read Death Valley, but I haven't read Melissa Broder before. After hearing your review, I'm thinking that I shouldn't start with this one. Which of her books should I read first?
I mean, I said in the video that The Pisces is my favourite so I’m obviously going to say that one
@@WillowTalksBooks 😳You did say that. My mistake.
On the topic of Lara Croft squeezing through caves / narrow sections.
It’s a very common way to hide loading the next scenery in games, as well as a narrative device.
Is this written as a poem?
Yeah I know. It’s also a good way to funnel the character into a combat arena or boss fight that they can’t retreat from
I am trying to like this book but it was drag to finish. Thank God each chapter was short. I will admit she has a lot of imagination and knows how to work intricate sentences and play with words but boring for my taste. Ah! It was funny in some parts but she goes on and on situations that she could stop. The young husband for example. Ok. She wants to see him healthy but she goes on and on. The cactus situation was ok one time but twice too much. To see his father 2-3 times ok but not 10 times ( child, Bartmitzva, with mustache etc)
First 🎉❤