5 stars
This collection of interlinked stories reads like a novel, which is good for people wary of short-story collections (like myself). Set in Russia and Chechnya, these stories cover several generations of Russians trying to survive in the Soviet and post-Soviet era. The first story follows a Soviet censor who uses his artistry skills to eliminate accused communist detractors from portraits. His work is brought up often in other stories and becomes a backdrop to the bleakness and absurdity of Russian life. These are not happy stories but Marra inserts enough sarcasm, irony and profound statements about human nature to guard against the depressing lives of the characters. This book definitely ranks as one of the best things I have read this year and I am happy to have received a review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
5 stars
I have only recently been introduced to Mary Karr's memoirs. I rapidly read through The Liar's Club and Cherry, mesmerized by her writing style and powerful insights into her own story. Needing to take a break from Karr's life but not wanting to stop reading her wonderful writing, I picked up this instructional book on memoir writing. Having no desire to write memoir (or anything besides short book reviews, honestly), this was an odd choice but I still found so much here to appreciate. She does talk about the method of writing memoir but also about books she learned from and currently teaches. It covers, finding a voice, staying true to a memory, revision, consulting relatives and also the writers who fabricate their story. As a dedicated reader, there were so many things that I found fascinating and inspiring about this book. As usual, Karr's writing is beautiful and so easy to ingest. I would recommend this to anyone who loves to write or read. I received an electronic ARC of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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