reading only ASIAN books for a week *7 books in 7 days*

I feel like, to me, Murakami is an author who's very stuck in his ways. And I do like how he's kind of simultaneously whimsical and simplistic also, just so intentionally provocative. But this was kind of a little bit flat for me.

Obviously the legal case and the story of the justice system behind this book is so important to read and understand. But it's the way that Chanel Miller tells that story that makes this a five-star memoir. She's a really, really talented writer and she paints the picture in such a vivid way.

Anyways I just thought this was a really charming collection of short stories. Which just gives so much life and vitality to relatively ordinary Indian citizens. And you just get a real portrait of these characters within just four or five pages.

So my feelings towards the Memory Police are complicated because while I was reading it, I didn't necessarily find it captivating or a page-turner by any stretch of the imagination. But after I'd finished the book and I could look back on it as a piece of art I was like, 'damn that was so impressive.'

This was exquisite. I mean, even the title alone, Night Sky With Exit Wounds, is more beautiful than anything I will ever produce in my whole entire life.

Let me just say I'm intimidated by this authors brain. You know when you read something and you're just completely in awe of someone else's mind. That's how I felt.

Actually I also recently read his novel, which is On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. And this is similarly poetic. Again, cracking title.

And this book is one of those pieces of literary fiction, which doesn't necessarily have an obvious plot, but it captures a time and a perspective and a character so gorgeously. I think it was Ocean Vuong actually, who said, when you lose plot, you gain characters. And that is so true for Reef because the characters are so rich and believable and fully fleshed out.