The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This collection has five longish short stories, all of which are very well-written, obviously, because Denis Johnson wrote them. "Triumph Over the Grave" was by far my favorite and I would give 10 out 5 stars. The other short stories just weren't for me as much, and I especially didn't care for the last Elvis one.

View all my reviews

Angels by Denis Johnson

Angels by Denis Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I get that this book is beautifully written, but this book made me suffer. It made me suffer a great deal, on almost every page. The worst part was in Chicago, but things never 100% rebounded after that. I might be a sensitive flower but I really couldn't handle it.

View all my reviews

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Had to read it twice in a row. The first time, I read it slowly. It was lovely but the very last memory left me a bit lost. So then I went back and constructed an OCD-induced timeline of Grainier's life. While it helped me get a better grip on what happened and when, it isn't relevant. These are memories, told and remembered out of order, as you might get from your grandparent, parent, or spouse. All the memories aren't always remembered correctly and the timelines are always hazy, but it's the only way to know a person. These are quite likely the final memories of Granier, possibly as he's looking over his life, and maybe even dreaming. He's not perfect, but he's a beautiful soul. I hope I'll read this book again many times.

View all my reviews

Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson

Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first read this in 2007 or 2008, but I didn’t fully appreciate it like I did when I reread it recently. Just so insane and beautiful and scary and sad. Even funny.

View all my reviews