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Human Blues
Human Blues | Elisa Albert
5 posts | 3 read | 6 to read
From an author whose writing has been praised as blistering (The New Yorker), virtuosic (The Washington Post), and brilliant (The New York Times) comes a provocative and entertaining novel about a woman who desperately wants a child but struggles to accept the use of assisted reproductive technologya hilarious and ferocious send-up of feminism, fame, art, commerce, and autonomy. On the eve of her fourth album, singer-songwriter Aviva Rosner is plagued by infertility. The twist: as much as Aviva wants a child, she is wary of technological conception, and has poured her ambivalence into her music. As the album makes its way in the world, the shock of the response from fans and critics is at first excitingand then invasive and strange. Aviva never wanted to be famous, or did she? Meanwhile, her evolving obsession with another iconic musician, gone too soon, might just help her make sense of things. Told over the course of nine menstrual cycles, Human Blues is a bold, brainy, darkly funny, utterly original interrogation of our cultural obsession with childbearing. Its also the story of one fearless woman at the crossroads, ruthlessly questioning what she wants and what shes willingor not willingto do to get it.
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Megabooks
Human Blues | Elisa Albert
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Pickpick

This book would‘ve been a lot better if ⅓ had been cut. Aviva was an interesting character, but at times I found this #toblonglist choice repetitive. I‘d definitely recommend the audiobook if you do read it.

Aviva is an Albany-based folk rock singer with a national reach and obsession with Amy Winehouse. She is having trouble getting pregnant but finds IVF and other allopathic treatments repugnant, so she seeks out natural remedies. ⬇️

Megabooks ⬆️ This book has had some controversy due to the strength of opinions expressed against IVF, etc. Aviva is very judgmental of women who feel differently than she does. I read this as a lot of satire of both the allopathic and naturopathic fertility industries, but if you have trauma around pregnancy, this probably isn‘t the book for you. (edited) 1y
Chelsea.Poole Just realized the cover image is supposed to be Amy Winehouse… (edited) 1y
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Hooked_on_books This one really doesn‘t appeal to me. If it makes the tourney, I‘ll try it, but otherwise nope. 1y
Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole good call!! 1y
Megabooks @Hooked_on_books solid plan 👍🏻👍🏻 1y
Megabooks @Aimeesue sorry I missed you. 1y
Cinfhen Ohhhh, you‘re right @Chelsea.Poole !!!! 1y
Cinfhen And I LOVED MUM, @Megabooks 1y
Ruthiella Sounds like you and @Cinfhen are in alignment here! 1y
BarbaraBB I‘ll wait until the shortlist as well! 1y
squirrelbrain Yes, I‘m going to wait until the shortlist too for this one. Seems like the general consensus! 1y
Megabooks @Ruthiella I think we are! 1y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I think that‘s an excellent plan! 1y
77 likes14 comments
review
Cinfhen
Human Blues | Elisa Albert
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Pickpick

Oy! How to review this book?? Pretty erratic- loved it in parts, draggggggged in too many places and ultimately found it fruitless. I enjoyed the odes to Amy Winehouse & it‘s heaping of Jewish awareness. If infertility is a TW -stay clear of this book. As someone who experienced miscarriages & years of infertility, Elisa Albert accurately describes the heartache & heartbreak of longing and wanting. #ToB23 longlist 🤓 A pick with reservations 👇🏽

Megabooks I‘ve got 3.5 hours left still and agree that this would only work for me on audio! I had a weird day yesterday and didn‘t do much audio listening. But I did finish this whole book and the last 15 pages were bonkers! 1y
Cinfhen BONKER‘s good???!! I think I deleted 👆🏽that book from my BookOutlet cart 😡I can‘t remember! @Megabooks (edited) 1y
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squirrelbrain Great review but, again, I may wait for the shortlist. 1y
sarahbarnes Great review!! 😃 1y
Cinfhen Yeah, I would wait for the shortlist unless this book really calls to you @squirrelbrain - if it was edited and 200 pages were whittled away it would have been 5 stars for me @Megabooks I would have bailed in print!!!! 1y
Cinfhen I know you said you‘re on the fence @sarahbarnes so I‘d hold off - it‘s too long or at least felt TOO LONG 1y
sarahbarnes Thank you!! I think I will hold off for now. 👍 1y
Ruthiella Oof, yes! I just checked the page count on goodreads and it is just over 400. Loooong. 1y
Cinfhen It felt even longer @Ruthiella and SO NOT NECESSARY!!! 1y
Hooked_on_books I suspect this one isn‘t for me, but I‘ll give it a try if it makes the tourney. Thanks for your review! 1y
Megabooks @Cinfhen bonkers bonkers…like completely out of left field after a v predictable book. You‘re not missing much 3.25⭐️ but good to knock of Uruguay and Argentina if you did buy it. 1y
Megabooks Just finished HB. Would‘ve liked it more if it were under 10 hours but I‘m glad I read it and it‘s what I was in the mood for. Getting a few new release nonfiction titles at midnight plus I checked this out 1y
Megabooks I‘ve just needed a break from social media. I feel like a turd on a log right now. Did get everyone‘s Christmas gifts wrapped though. Going to finish up Three in the next bit and hopefully reply to your email. Thanks for sending it. 😘😘 I know @BarbaraBB is a busy bee right now and you‘re packing. I hope you have a good audiobook to keep you company! 1y
Megabooks One more, if you get to Miami and don‘t have woman from U, I can send it to you. 👍🏻👍🏻 1y
Cinfhen @Megabooks thanks for the offer, even if I didn‘t order it I‘ll probably find another book for U so no worries- I‘m sorry to hear you feel 💩- is it physically or emotionally? This time of year is always tricky. Anyhow I‘m thinking of you and sending XOXO 💋 1y
Cinfhen Comedians in Cars sounds fun @Megabooks lmk how it is!!! 1y
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blurb
Cinfhen
Human Blues | Elisa Albert
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Yesssssss!! LOVING THIS!!! #JewishLit #ToB23 long list 🙌🏻Thanks for reminding me to pick this up @Megabooks Definitely audio is the way to go!!!And the cover art 😍 #Scribd

Cinfhen I think you‘d like this one @britt_brooke 😊you too @BarbaraBB 1y
BarbaraBB You drive me crazy! You are a feeder! 😂😘 1y
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Cinfhen It‘s starting to drag @BarbaraBB so no need to obsess over this one. What do u think @Megabooks ?? 1y
BarbaraBB 😅 1y
Megabooks Yeah it‘s dragging a bit, but I‘m still into the narration. I‘m thinking it‘s going to be one of those 15 hour books that I wish were 10. Her antics are pretty funny though! 1y
Megabooks Reminds me of Melissa Broder 1y
Cinfhen Yessss to both the comparison, length and editing! Agreed her inner voice is hilarious 😂 plus I love all the Jewish references, but it‘s annoying (to me) how often the reader mispronounces Jewish words @Megabooks 1y
sarahbarnes I wasn‘t drawn to this one and your thoughts and @Megabooks are making me think I‘ll hold off? 1y
Ruthiella The Melissa Broder mention makes me even MORE interested in this one. 1y
Cinfhen It‘s actually VERY funny @Ruthiella @sarahbarnes and clever too, but the shtick is getting a little old by hour 5!!! 1y
britt_brooke @Cinfhen Thank you! 1y
Chelsea.Poole Agreed with the cover art! 1y
62 likes13 comments
blurb
Megabooks
Human Blues | Elisa Albert
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Me: I‘m not going to buy any more #toblonglist books before the shortlist comes out.

Also me: downloads this 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣

I‘m really enjoying the #audiobook narration, and her narration is so good that I‘m not sure it would be as good in print. It‘s definitely making the Christmas chores fly by! 🎄

Ruthiella Oops! But it sounds like it paid off! 😃 1y
Suet624 Sometimes you‘ve just got to do it. 💕💕 1y
Cinfhen Sounds SUPER familiar!!! I think this is available on #Scribd 🤩I‘m looking forward 1y
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squirrelbrain Oops! But, a girl‘s gotta do…. I can‘t recall whether I can get this one or not… looking forward to your review though! 1y
BarbaraBB I don‘t even remember this one from the longlist. And I have the same resolution as you do. Fortunately the shortlist will be published any day now! 1y
Chelsea.Poole I‘m with @BarbaraBB this one doesn‘t look familiar. You‘re gonna have the whole thing read!! 👏 I‘m doing Christmas chores also. Actually all the chores 😝 1y
Megabooks @Ruthiella I enjoyed it but didn‘t love it. Still, I was what I was in the mood for! 👍🏻👍🏻 (edited) 1y
Megabooks @Suet624 truth 🙌🏻🙌🏻 1y
Megabooks @Cinfhen I‘m glad we read it together! 1y
Megabooks @squirrelbrain I‘m running behind on reviews, but I agree with Cindy that it was overly long but relatively enjoyable. Not a must-read though. 1y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I‘m so excited for the shortlist!! 😁😁😁 1y
Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole doesn‘t it seem like there twice as many chores in December?? 🤣🤣 1y
squirrelbrain This is a ‘difficult to get hold of‘ one…so I‘ll wait! 1y
Chelsea.Poole @megabooks 💯—so much baking, decorating, moving the ELF 🙄, sneaking around with presents, festive cooking, picking up dropped pine needles from the tree. Truly endless! 1y
Megabooks I am really glad I didn‘t have kids because that elf would annoy the 💩 out of me @Chelsea.Poole !! (edited) 1y
65 likes15 comments
review
Bookalong
Human Blues | Elisa Albert
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Pickpick

A magnetic and entertaining deep dive into creativity, art, feminism, fertility, and fame! I love how more novels are being published surrounding fertility and women's choices towards childrearing. We need these books! Told through nine menstrual cycles which I thought was sheer brilliance! I loved the commentary in this book, it was bold and fun! And Aviva's eccentric character was just the kind of female characters I enjoy! Available July 5th!

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