Review: Memory Man

Memory Man by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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I wasn't really planning on reading Memory Man any time soon. Yes, it was on my to-read list but, way down. I started reading this out of boredom during a four-hour flight and it was the only unread book that had a synopsis that's remotely interesting on my Kobo that time.

The book was...okay. It doesn't fall short of the gruesome and graphic details expected of murder scenes, massacres, and thrillers, but this "mystery" was a mess. The explicitness delivered a believable scene creeping me out when I'm alone and brimming with anxiety, but beyond that, I found the book too laid out.

Review: The History of Love

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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This is one of the most beautifully poignant books I've read EVER. There's a tightening of my chest as I finished it. The entire book is a mystery (on how each character is connected with each other) written in an ode so pure and sincere. The tone all throughout the book is melancholic with hints of death, loneliness, and loss, but that last chapter was the most heartbreaking. Each revelation is accentuated with a punch-in-the-gut sadness. How Leo constantly obsessed and watched on his lost son's life, and his constant reflection of his never-ending love for Alma broke and inspired me at the same time.

But oddly enough, despite the tone of the book--the story is strangely uplifting, leaving you gasping with the immensity of feeling. The writing is beautiful; I always highlight captivating passages I read on books, but with The History of Love, my hand wouldn't stop. It seemed like the entire book shone yellow with the admiration and awe I showered it. Each line on Krauss' novel will leave you breathless--constructed simply but laden with profound insight. After reading this book, I have fallen even more in love with stories and words--on how words create worlds and keep people alive. For me, they all come alive. Leo lives. Alma lives.

P.S. Oh, the injustice! This deserves a higher rating in Goodreads, people!

(To follow: most captivating lines from the book.)

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