Every Book I Read in 2024, Reviewed

Part II: Spring Fiction

Hello! Back to every book I’ve read in 2024. Part I , winter fiction is here.

I had scheduled part I to publish, and then later decided not to do this whole thing, but forgot to unschedule part I, so it being sent out was a surprise to me and now I’m carrying on. There are a couple things that feel non-optimal about this kind of book review setup¹, but I’m not a quitter and so we must persevere, together.

The Neapolitan Novels, Elena Ferrante ☆

I read The Neapolitan Novels because my boss let me borrow My Brilliant Friend about a year prior to me reading it, and so I had to read it at some point lest she start to wonder if I’m illiterate². This is really more like one novel in four parts. The story begins when our narrator Elena hears Lila (the brilliant friend in question) has totally disappeared, purging every photo or personal belonging. Angered by this, Elena begins telling the story of the girls’ deep, consuming friendship, which begins sixty years earlier in a poor neighbourhood outside Naples. We follow them past childhood throughout their adolescent and adult lives as the girls continue to challenge, hurt, and love one another. I found it remarkable how effectively the narration bridged time. The childhood stories were as visceral and important as any of the adult politics. The adult politics could be as childish and shallow as the schoolyard fighting. The distance between Elena and Lila never quite closes, although these women know each other so well we get a very real sense of Lila’s mind through Elena’s.

No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy

Honestly? You can just watch the movie. The movie gets a star. ☆.

Eileen, Ottessa Moshfegh

I read this because there was an awful lot of fuss about how this story is “repugnant” or “vile” or whatever, and found that aspect to be a little bit of a letdown³. That being said, while I was not challenged, I was charmed. I found Eileen pretty endearing in all her childlike crushes and neurosis, and I do like New England Christmas stories. Maybe I’ll pick it up again for the holiday season. Moshfegh is a pretty polarizing author but I’d recommend her short stories or Lapvona before this, as it doesn’t quite feel full-throttle.

The Road, Cormac McCarthy ☆

This is the only Cormac McCarthy book I think everyone should read. After an unspecified extinction event, a man and his son trek towards the sea across what was once the United States. Despite the bleak conditions — the boy’s mother has already committed suicide, his father is sick, they’re surrounded by the remnants of cannibalism — it’s a compelling tale of hope for the world to come.

The Sunset Limited, Cormac McCarthy

White, an atheist professor who leads a privileged life, throws himself in front of the Sunset Limited, only to miraculously end up in the arms of Black, an ex-convict, ex-addict, and devoted Christian. You can also probably just watch the movie in this case. This is the kind of book that’s easy enough to read in a cafe with music on or while you’re eating a sandwich.

Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier ☆

An unnamed orphaned woman working as a personal attendant is swept off her feet by the rich and charming Maxim de Winter. Upon arriving at Manderley, his estate, she finds his late wife Rebecca still holds a firm grasp on his life from beyond the grave. (To be fair, she has been dead less than a year.) Insecure and alone in her fears, our protagonist struggles with the ghost of Rebecca to find love and freedom in her new life. This book is beautiful and thrilling. It really has everything: lavish balls, cruel women, repressed lesbianism, and courtroom drama.

1. Not to give you reasons why you shouldn’t read this blog, but I’m not sure what the value of this post is, exactly. There’s such a wealth of truly great books out there that I don’t think much is to be gained from seeing what someone else has read. Just google “best books”. Also? I don’t want everyone to know what books I read. Feels too personal to be out there on the internet. I might not get around to reviewing nonfiction for this reason.

2. One of the main parts of my job is reviewing fiction so this would be a bad thing for her to think.

3. Like, yes, some not nice people do not nice things. But isn’t that most stories? What is everybody else reading?