User Profile

annewalk

annewalk@bookwyrm.club

Joined 1 year, 11 months ago

Emerging fiction writer/poet of mixed heritage, Haudenosaunee (Cayuga) and Hungarian, living in Ontario, Canada. Published in Room Magazine, Vocamus Press, Humber Literary Review, Canadian Authors Association – Toronto. Love #writing, #art, #tech, and how they intersect. On Mastodon @annewalk@tootsweet.social

This link opens in a pop-up window

annewalk's books

Currently Reading

View all books

User Activity

reviewed The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin

The City We Became (Hardcover, 2020, Orbit) 4 stars

From three-time Hugo award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N. K. Jemisin, The City …

Superhero Story

5 stars

It took me a while to get into this story but I'm glad I stuck with it. If you like stories with a lot of battles between heroes and monster villains, this is your book. While I enjoy a superhero show as much as the next person, reading fight scenes in a novel is not to my taste. As the story unfolds, the social commentary ramps up. Would be especially relevant to New Yorkers who are familiar with the personalities of the city's boroughs. As an outsider, I understood enough to see where the story was headed but I'm sure it offers more to New York inhabitants. I read this book via audiobook and enjoyed the voicing and dramatization.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Paperback, 2008, Penguin Books) 3 stars

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a 2007 novel written by Dominican American …

Strong Narrative Voice

3 stars

I liked the use of a strong narrative voice in this book, and that the story is narrated through the eyes of one of the side characters. The world inhabited by the characters is dangerous and difficult and I really got a sense of it. I did find the language (racism, misogyny, fatphobia, etc) difficult to deal with. I didn't like the protagonist, Oscar, a young man with Incel/stalker tendencies, and I had a hard time empathizing with him. This isn't always necessary in order to enjoy a novel but, in this case, I thought my ambivalence toward him lessened the effect of the conclusion. Overall, I'm glad to have read this story. I may go through it at a later date and read through the footnotes which I left out as they slowed the pace of the story.

When We Lost Our Heads (Hardcover, Harper Collins) 5 stars

Marie Antoine is the charismatic, spoiled daughter of a sugar baron. At age twelve, with …

A fun read with lively characters. I enjoyed the voice of the book, the short, snappy sentence structure, the witty language. An inordinate number of similes. Unbelievably so. Once I noticed, which was early into the novel, I couldn't un-notice. Wild imagery. Satisfying ending.

My Dark Vanessa (2020, Harper Audio) No rating

This was a difficult read. I listened to it in audiobook form which heightened the story as well as the tensions surrounding the themes (CW. This book is about sexual abuse and, in particular, grooming). I was, at times, angry with the author. For most of the book, it feels apologetic, minimizing, even encouraging. This is because we are in the mind of the fifteen year old girl who is experiencing the abuse. If we feel confused, it's because she feels confused. This type of close read of a complicated and complicating character can be difficult. It can even be seen as problematic. I thought it was inspired. I recognized this girl. This book will stick with me, always, in good ways and bad. (tip: Stay for the interviews at the end of the audiobook)

Art & Fear (EBook, 2001, Image Continuum Press) 5 stars

"This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Ordinary art means something like: all …

Listened to the audiobook version over the past week but I've both listened to the book and read it in text multiple time over the years. It's my go to for when I need an artistic boost. Sure. There are an inordinate number of plithy statements and obvious platitudes between these covers. But there is also truth. Think of it like a meditation. Reommend.