I want to read New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century (1 Viewer)

[Magician]

ofc not all this year, but a couple of them would be nice
I want to concentrate on the first half of the list first

 

[centen]

Sounds like a fun goal, hope you enjoy them!

I look at that list and realize I have very different tastes from whoever wrote it. Literary/historical character-over-plot stories aren't really my first-choice reads.

 

[Magician]

Sounds like a fun goal, hope you enjoy them!

I look at that list and realize I have very different tastes from whoever wrote it. Literary/historical character-over-plot stories aren't really my first-choice reads.

same here! I'm more of a fantasy reader, so I hope I will find new genres to broaden my horizon

 

[centen]

same here! I'm more of a fantasy reader, so I hope I will find new genres to broaden my horizon

It's not in the top 50, but I looked up the whole list and can recommend Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. She balances thoughtful books about people with interesting plots pretty well.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

same here! I'm more of a fantasy reader, so I hope I will find new genres to broaden my horizon

I mean The Fifth Season is on the second half of the list which is a fantasy book-I just haven't read it.

 

[Magician]

It's not in the top 50, but I looked up the whole list and can recommend Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. She balances thoughtful books about people with interesting plots pretty well.

Thanks for the recommendation! I just saw that I have read two books from the list already
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ichiguro and Pachinko by Lee Min Jin (both are great books!)

 

[Magician]

I mean The Fifth Season is on the second half of the list which is a fantasy book-I just haven't read it.

true, I might even have this one at home or on my kindle

 

[centen]

I mean The Fifth Season is on the second half of the list which is a fantasy book-I just haven't read it.

If there are certain things you don't want to read, then fair warning to both you and @Magician to look up the trigger warnings on that one. I read it in 2017, and that was before I reached an "I'm never reading this type of content again" mindset toward some things and some of the stuff in it still sticks with me.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

If there are certain things you don't want to read, then fair warning to both you and @Magician to look up the trigger warnings on that one. I read it in 2017, and that was before I reached an "I'm never reading this type of content again" mindset toward some things and some of the stuff in it still sticks with me.

Ok now I am curious.

 

[centen]

Ok now I am curious.

Short version: child sexual abuse (plus other stuff, but that's the one that I am no longer willing to read)

Longer version: an adult specifically preys on a child, the details of the abuse are vividly detailed, and other children witness the event AND shame the victim for it, publicly

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

Short version: child sexual abuse (plus other stuff, but that's the one that I am no longer willing to read)

Longer version: an adult specifically preys on a child, the details of the abuse are vividly detailed, and other children witness the event AND shame the victim for it, publicly

Ah ok-thanks for the heads up! You don't read the wayward children series do you?

 

[centen]

Ah ok-thanks for the heads up! You don't read the wayward children series do you?

I read the first seven of them. Hated books 3 and 7, liked books 1, 4, and 5 well enough, books 2 and 6 existed, and DNF'd book 8, for probably obvious reasons after my last post lol. In an Absent Dream was probably my favorite of the bunch.

Reading them in rapid succession made me realize just how much frequently the interesting parts of the books happened off page and get referenced later, but we don't actually see the confrontations (e.g. Lundy's impactful fight with the Wasp Queen that literally affects all of her future decisions happens off page). So I think they're fine for light fantasy and hit-or-miss on tone. I can see why people like them, and they're easy to want to read, because even if you dislike the main character in one book, the next book is likely to focus on a different story and different character.

...Which was a very long response to a yes/no question, sorry!

 

[uran]

It would be so interesting and awesome if you did some reviews of each one you read

 

[pinkmelodies]

That is such an amazing goal! Good luck and I hope you find your favorite book amongst them

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I read the first seven of them. Hated books 3 and 7, liked books 1, 4, and 5 well enough, books 2 and 6 existed, and DNF'd book 8, for probably obvious reasons after my last post lol. In an Absent Dream was probably my favorite of the bunch.

Reading them in rapid succession made me realize just how much frequently the interesting parts of the books happened off page and get referenced later, but we don't actually see the confrontations (e.g. Lundy's impactful fight with the Wasp Queen that literally affects all of her future decisions happens off page). So I think they're fine for light fantasy and hit-or-miss on tone. I can see why people like them, and they're easy to want to read, because even if you dislike the main character in one book, the next book is likely to focus on a different story and different character.

...Which was a very long response to a yes/no question, sorry!

People rarely talk about books so no biggie! Ok, I was going to warn you if you hadn't gotten that far in it. I like them for quick reads but don't adore them. I will say the book those things happen in is my favorite alongside In An Absent Dream.

 

[centen]

People rarely talk about books so no biggie! Ok, I was going to warn you if you hadn't gotten that far in it. I like them for quick reads but don't adore them. I will say the book those things happen in is my favorite alongside In An Absent Dream.

Thank you friend! I appreciate you looking out for me. I also appreciate your excellent taste in liking In An Absent Dream the most too.