book

Rated De rivier 8/10

This was a nice surprise. After reading the synopsis I was managing my expectations for this book, but I really enjoyed it.
Also nice to learn about Martha Ballard.

Rated Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar 10/10

Rated Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche 8/10

Rated A Philosophy of Software Design 8/10

Rated Luchtplaats 8/10

It took me some time before I really got into it, but once I did it was pretty good.

I really like that all of the characters have some real dark edges.

Rated After I Do 6/10

Rated Gomorrah 8/10

Rated The World After Gaza 10/10

This books goes deep into how we got here (here being the genocide happening in Gaza) and gives some ideas of what that may bring for the future.

From a review: “It is mandatory reading; for a present that is horrifying, for the way in which history that is ongoing needs to be written and understood– the myriad threads that Mishra weaves together include the treatment of Jews in East and West Europe before, during, and after WWII, in the Middle East where they were not blond and blue eyed, the role of the Allies and USA in the Holocaust and the utter lack of guilt and responsibility on their part + parallels with Vietnam, Germany's totally perverse absolution of the guilt + parallels to their colonial history (hardly ever spoken about), India's own hindutva nationalism sharing deeply in the zionist psyche, leaving us reeling today in an abyss of moral & political decrepitude – the colour line stronger than ever, the decolonial project still far too distant in the horizon.”

I’d like to add to that, that decolonization was in fact - for the vast majority of people - the main event in the 20th century as opposed to WWII, which mostly westerners will see as the main event. A perspective changed.

Rated Beach Vibes 6/10

Rated Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality 6/10

Rated De enige die overbleef 6/10

The story was a bit too far fetched and bouncing all over the place.

Rated De schatkamer van mijn vader 8/10

A very insightful read about a part of Dutch history that only recently is been given a bigger place in the general discussion.
I really enjoyed how the tension in the relationship between father and daughter has resemblances of how the Dutch look back on this part of their history in Indonesia (although the book is mostly about WWII until Indonesian independence).

Rated Duizend schitterende zonnen 10/10

Rated De vergeten namen 8/10

A book that tells the story about many different people who were involved in the deportations in Lyon in WWII.
I liked that it tells the story about many different people instead of just a handful. Sure all dialogs, thoughs and feelings are made up by the author, but they never felt unauthethic.

Rated At the Existentialist Café 10/10

Rated Het eiland van Anna 10/10

It is about an island that had to be evacuated in the 1800s, because of flooding, which then in the 1900s became part of reclaimed land. It is about the people that lived there, their descendants and how origin and origin story impacts people’s lives (even several generations later).
It also highlights how immigrants find their way faster if they get equal opportunity to education and employment. Something that many present day societies should take note of instead of the xenophobia we see too much of.

Rated Leonardo: The Artist and the Man 8/10

Rated La Chamade 8/10

Quite enjoyable, even if I found the characters tiresome at times.

I like this from a review: “Françoise Sagan is perhaps not the greatest French writer but she does justice to the tradition of beautiful, clear, poignant love stories into which she was born.”

Rated Katabasis 6/10

Like any R.F. Kuang book, it is well written. I just only got into it in short bursts. Particularly the theoretical stuff was not my cup of tea. The exploration of hell was cool though.

Rated Een vriendschap 8/10

I thought it be a cheesy love story, but it was nothing like that. Very much enjoyed this story about friendship, family, toxic authority and therapy in the first 2/3 of the 20th century.

Rated De bessenplukkers 10/10

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up, but what a great novel to debut with. Very moving story and a very easy to follow writing style.

Although the story is very emotional, the writing never feels too emotional.

Rated De Vaticaanse Moorden 6/10

Rated Schutterszilver 6/10

I usually enjoy Van Mastricht’s books more than I did this one. The story seemed a bit wavy and some of the sections a bit redundant, especially the ones from the Spanish perspective.

Rated Het chateau 6/10

The first part of the book I was pretty annoyed with one of the main characters. After that it got better and overall it was somewhat amusing to read. Still a bit of a shallow plot and storyline.

Rated The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle 10/10