What I liked (and didn’t like) reading in 2023
Welcome to the 9th Motti Literary Awards — written, directed, produced and presented by supreme dictator Ricardo Motti.
You're new here? Welcome! Here’s how it works: I rank every book I read last year, from worst to best. I add a quick tweet-like review to each book, in decreasing levels of cynicism and snark.
Then hopefully you pick some to read and, more importantly, are duly warned about what NOT to read.
You're not new here? Welcome back! And thanks for asking me about this since October. The last thing the world needs is another kilobyte of digital content, so this is your fault. But it's just once a year. Stop insisting, there will not be a TikTok version.
Before we get started, for all you data scientists out there, let's check the numbers:
- Initial goal was 52 books. It ended up being 54.
- Another goal was to read at most 40% of books by white men—it was 37% (20 out of 54). Overall, 29 books by female authors.
- Interestingly, there were books by authors from 14 different countries. (Sounds like a fun goal for next year.)
- Spoiler alert: well, let's say it wasn't my favourite reading year ever, so… get ready for a heavy load of cynicism.
Anyway, without further ado, welcome to the 9th Motti Literary Awards! As always, these are not just my opinions—these are cold hard facts.
The ‘Fahrenheit 451’ Awards
Free speech absolutism is so trendy these days that you should burn these books just to spite Elon.
54. Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop, Alba Donati (2022)
A bad attempt at plagiarising Diary of a Bookseller, but it just doesn't work without Shaun Blythell's grumpiness.
More importantly, if you’re doing a diary, it has to be about what happened THAT DAY. It can’t be “today it rained… it reminded me when I was a child blah blah blah.” It’s a D-I-A-R-Y, not 90% of flashbacks.
Wanted to love it, but hated it. (The bookshop sounds lovely! I want to visit. Hope the author never sees this.)
53. The List, Yomi Adegoke (2023)
The plot: internet turns against two influencers.… and I have to feel bad for them?!? While sifting through pages and pages of pointless tangents? Boy, did I hate this.
52. Mozart: The Man Revealed, John Suchet (2021)
The story of a man who tries to find permanent employment, decides to freelance, ends up in debt and dies from overworking. Featuring pages and pages of mind-numbing letter transcripts.
51. Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962, Max Hastings (2022)
If you cram enough useless details within a book, even the end of the world can be boring. There were times during the 540 pages when I was just hoping for the missiles to be launched.
50. The Holy Cow and Other Indian Stories, Tarun Chopra (2000)
Made for stupid tourists to buy as a souvenir and never read it. Sadly, I was the stupid tourist who read it.
The 'Bleak House' Tier
If you told me you're planning on reading one of these, I'd probably go "oh, that one………" and discreetly change the subject.
49. Suicidas, Raphael Montes (2012)
Captivating, but clumsy. Raphael has really fallen from his heyday as a Golden Motti winner.
48. Mona, Pola Oloixarac (2019)
This is really similar to Kudos by Rachel Cusk: a writer goes to a writing convention and journals about it—but with added drugs and sex. It didn't grip me and I barely remember anything. (Must have been the drugs.)
47. Amnesty, Aravind Adiga (2020)
I loved 'White Tiger' (the movie), but instead of picking up 'White Tiger' (the book) I chose a different one from the same author. Big mistake.
46. Happening, Annie Ernaux (2000)
Abortion book! The experience of trying to get an abortion when it's illegal. Girlfriend says everyone should read this, so I obediently read it, but didn't like it. Too French, plus I was already pro-abortion.
45. Cat Brushing, Jane Campbell (2022)
WARNING: this book is NOT about cats, it’s about the sexuality of octagenarians. Congrats, Ricardo, keep choosing books by their covers.
The ‘A Little Life’ Interlude
Ok, let's take a breath here, because this is a much beloved book, by much beloved friends, that I did NOT belove.
46. A Little Life, Hagya Yanagihara (2015)
Here's what I really think. [Big sigh. Dramatic pause.]
This is a book written by a female author who has really high hopes for men—which I don't. Her male characters are so olympically unrealistic that, if they were in the Bible, Jesus would be a supporting actor.
All the major male characters in this book are intelligent, and cultured, and thoughtful, and in touch with their feelings, and apologise (profusively and immediately) when they say something wrong, and wildly talented, and successful, and filthy rich, and cook and do the dishes right after.
On the other hand, all the major female characters are…. wait, there are none. And this book is 700 pages long.
That said, my beloved friends who beloved this book are so evolved that they are understanding and respectful of dissenting opinions. I feel terrible. Let's move on.
The ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ Division
Look, I didn't love reading these, but I learned stuff and it was fun at times. Maybe give it a go if it's your thing?
43. Raving Upon Thames: an Untold Story of Sixties London, Andrew Humphreys (2021)
The Rolling Stones' first gig was at a pub a block from where I live! Eric Clapton hung out at a café down the street! That café is now a Nando's!
42. Diary of an Invasion, Andrey Kurkov (2023)
Ukraine's top novelist with a diary of the Russian invasion. Good historical document, but I wish it was more about his personal experience and less about history and geopolitics. (Makes me nauseous to complain about a book written during freaking war, but I have artistic integrity.)
41. Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, Maggie Haberman (2022)
Right, I did my part, now I'm really done with books about Trump.
40. Dead in the Water: A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy, Matthew Campbell & Kit Chellel (2022)
Learned a lot about ships (fun), insurance (much less fun) and Greek gangsters (super fun).
The ‘Taylor Jenkins Reid’ Medals
Literary fast food: sometimes fun, sometimes bland, quick to digest, clearly lacking nutrients.
39. Silverview, John Le Carré (2021)
My first Le Carré book — likely my last too. Was pretty confused by the end. Don't remember any of it now. [shrug emoji]
38. Matilda, Roald Dahl (1988)
Not sure if I read this when I was a kid and re-read now, or if it was my first time. Probably better if I was a kid.
37. Guardians, John Grisham (2019)
When I find myself in times of (reading) trouble
John Grisham comes to me 🎶
36. Age of Vice, Deepti Kapoor (2023)
Indian noir that started really well. Having three protagonists was a problem because two of them sucked. That made me spend 66% of the book waiting to go back to the good part of the story.
35. Termush, Sven Holm (1967)
End of the world books are great, but this one did not grip me even though it’s only 120 pages long. Would be a great movie, though—I see Paul Bettany as the main character.
34. The Power of the Dog, Don Winslow (2005)
This is the first book of the trilogy, but I read it last. It's not bad, but The Cartel and The Border are infinitely better.
33. Véspera, Carla Madeira (2021)
I loved Tudo é Rio. This is good, but feels a lot like a follow-up attempt. Sorry, I'm hard to please.
32. Carrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid (2022)
Could not resist giving a Taylor Jenkins Reid Medal to TJR herself, the queen of literary fast food. Fun summer book, especially if you like tennis.
The ‘Spare’ Section
Didn't get to peruse Prince Harry's memoir, but I read these biographies/memoirs. Some good, others less good, which makes sense because we're at the halfway point.
31. One Two Three Four: The Beatles In Time, Craig Brown (2020)
Instead of a linear Beatles' biography, he chose to tell it through small anecdotes — and it works well! For a while. Boy, was this long.
30. Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys., Viv Albertine (2012)
Music, Music, Music parts are really good — I love The Slits. Side A (her youth) was more interesting than Side B (her adult life). I guess I’m too middle-aged to care about the troubles of my fellow elders.
29. The T in LGBT: everything you need to know about being trans, Jamie Raines (2023)
I realised it was not written for me when the first chapter was titled "So you think you might be trans".
28. A Black Boy at Eton, Dillibe Onyeama (2022)
I'm fascinated with boarding schools. Whenever I meet someone who went to a boarding school, I turn into a police investigator seeking to uncover all the horrible things that certainly happened. This books confirms it all.
27. All In: An Autobiography, Billie Jean King (2021)
Incredible life, incredible story, incredible lessons. Everything about Billie Jean King is great, except some slooooooow parts of this book.
26. Verse, Chorus, Monster!, Graham Coxon (2023)
If this was a Blur album, it would be in the top 3. As fun as ‘The Great Escape’, as poignant as ‘13’.
25. To the Finish Line: A World Champion Triathlete’s Guide to Your Perfect Race, Chrissie Wellington (2017)
Q: How can you tell if someone is a triathlete?
A: Don't worry, they'll tell you (by adding a triathlon book to their end-of-year book review).
The ‘Sally Rooney’ Awards
So many books about heartbreak and divorce this year. Three here and more down the list. Knock on wood and keep going.
24. In at the Deep End, Kate Davies (2019)
I learned so much, I'm ready to be a lesbian.
23. Good Material, Dolly Alderton (2023)
A stand up comedian going through a break up. Not that funny, but it did make me laugh at points, it made me sad, and also made me cringe. Silly but nice little winter book.
22. Really Good, Actually, Monica Heisey (2023)
Funny and a quick read. I assume this is better if you’re heartbroken, which I’m not. *knocks on wood again*
The ‘Murakami’ Awards
Not gonna lie, it's disappointing that we're in the top-20 and I still wouldn't blindly recommend these books. Oh well, worse things happened this year.
21. Assembly, Natasha Brown (2021)
I don't remember anything, so checked my notes: "I really liked it, intellectually. Didn't enjoy it though. I’m not an intellectual."
20. Drowning, T.J. Newman (2023)
A plane falls in the ocean and becomes water-tight so it's kinda like a submarine? So far-fetched. So silly. I read it in two sittings.
19. Baixo Esplendor, Marçal Aquino (2021)
Brazilian noir at its best. (It's a thing.)
18. Perambule, Fabricio Corsaletti (2018)
Neat collection of micro stories, little commentary, a couple of funny poems etc. Fabricio is the master of two-page writing.
17. Big Swiss, Jen Beagin (2023)
Well, that was weird. Good weird.
(Not that bad weird exists, all weird is good.)
16. A Touch of Jen, Beth Morgan (2021)
Well, that was weird-er. Zero fucks were given in the writing of this book. It changes genres halfway through, like a Robert Rodriguez movie. Absolutely deranged.
Fun fact: the author's instagram handle is @gentle-herbal-laxative.
The ‘Malcolm Gladwell’ Medals
The top 15! These non-fiction books were really good, I’d recommend them even if they’re NOT your thing.
15. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, Timothy Snyder (2017)
Sadly, too necessary. Kids should read this in school. Adults should read it. Trump and Putin should die. Social media should be illegal. Sorry, I get carried away.
14. Rental Person Who Does Nothing: A Memoir, Shoji Morimoto (2023)
Need someone to just be there? Like, someone to come to your house and watch you study to keep you accountable? Shoji Morimoto is your man. Hilarious at times, philosophical at others. (I prefer the hilarious parts.)
13. Beginners: The Curious Power of Lifelong Learning, Tom Vanderbilt (2021)
I once listed all my past hobbies, it was like twenty. This is a book about getting new hobbies. It's a match! ✨ (On a semi-related subject, I'm on the market for a five-day drawing retreat.)
12. Good for a Girl: My Life Running in a Man’s World, Lauren Fleschman (2023)
It's such a shame that women's sports is 2x more interesting but gets 1/10 of the attention of men's sports. Possibly the best sports memoir I’ve read. Fun, moving, and learned a lot about physiology (periods).
The ‘Great Expectations’ Awards
Close but no cigar — these books almost got a Motti. But didn't. Sorry. We all lose sometimes. Coincidentally, these are all quite weird. Good weird.
11. We Had to Remove This Post, Hanna Bervoets (2021)
I’ll always like a short, fun and disturbing book. Even better if it includes bad-mouthing social media (noticed a theme this year?). Felt a bit rushed at the end but this is perfect for a 2-hour train ride.
10. Penance, Eliza Clark (2023)
I guess this is WEIRDER than Boy Parts, even though it’s completely different? You can barely tell it's the same author, which I like. Almost experimental. I guess Eliza is our literary Radiohead, so now we wait for her third one.
09. Stepford Wives, Ira Levin (1972)
It's unbelievable this was written 50 years ago—it's Handmaid's Tale-level of feminism and foresight. Also, it proves it’s perfectly possible to write a masterpiece in just 140 pages. What a book.
08. Lapvona, Ottessa Moshfegh (2022)
Once upon a time, there was a prince in a medieval village called Lapvona. It all goes really downhill from there. A reverse fairy tale that will turn your stomach. Ottessa is our Queen of Disgust, which is a very high compliment.
07. The Happy Couple, Naoise Dolan (2023)
… aaaaaand the new World Irish Writing Association champioooon of the world….. Naoise Dolan! Can't believe she stole the belt from Sally Rooney.
Ok, mild exaggeration. But a great second round from Naoise, while Sally lost momentum with Beautiful World, Where Are You. Time will tell who wins. It's lovely that we'll have these two talents trading punches, uh, books for the next decades.
The 2023 Motti Award Winners
Thanks for making it (or scrolling) this far. Here they are—drum roll for the Motti Award winners of 2023.
06. Broken Code: Inside Facebook and the fight to expose its toxic secrets, Jeff Horwitz (2023)
Every year I have to read one “Facebook sucks” book— and this was the scariest of them all, even though it’s more balanced than the title suggests. The storytelling is great, even moving at times. There were some proper war heroes working there, trying to save (or at least not ruin) the world.
Please read this one and let's discuss how social media is the worst public health crisis since cigarettes.
05. Yellowface, R.F. Kuang (2023)
Engrossing, entertaining, enlightening, intelligent (ran out of en- words). It's a similar plot to, well, The Plot: struggling author steals story from someone who dies, goes on to become a bestseller, chaos ensues. But with a really interesting take.
It's totally worth the hype, I haven't met anyone who didn't like it. If anything, read it for the insider info on how the publishing industry works.
04. Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Nevin (2022)
Boy loves girl, girl loves boy, but doesn't like like him. She prefers playing videogames with him. What's not to like?
Another super-hyped book that's worth the hype. It was a quick read but I ended up with weird feelings: did I really like it or not? But I kept thinking about it and it kept growing on me.
If you’ve into videogames, or into friend-zoning, give it a go.
03. Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro (2021)
[Big sad sigh] Don’t know if I ever felt this emotionally attached to a protagonist. Had a knot in my throat all the way through, leading to many tears on the train.
… which basically means I was suffering because of a robot. In my defense, I kept associating her with my cat. I guess it's time to go back to therapy.
02. Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy, Philippa Perry (2010)
Speaking of which! This is a graphic novel (I know, I know, I'm not into comics either) about how a therapist approaches a new patient, from beginning to end.
It's incredibly insightful, because there's a play-by-play commentary as a session happens—including things she should have asked, or why she asked a question, when to back off and when to raise an issue, or why patients react in certain ways etc etc. So interesting, while still being quite moving. Absolutely loved this.
01. Couplets, Maggie Milner (2023)
If you've followed the Motti Awards through the years, you've seen poetry books creeping up from top-30, then top-15, then Dating & Other Hobbies winning a Motti (at #6 last year). I was confused, but justified that it was funny poetry about Tinder.
Well, hear this: this year's Golden Motti goes to………… the absolutely fantastic Couplets. A poetry book. Wait, don't go! I can explain!
First, again, it's funny poetry. Second, again, it's about relationships. And, third (even better), it's basically a novel with beginning/middle/end—just written as rhyming couples, or 'imperfect sets' (her words). Ok, I'm desperate to convince you, so here's an example.
See? Smart, funny poetry, not "the world is an ocean of pain" poetry. Pick it up, read it, and see you next year for the Motti Poetry Awards.
That's it! We're done. Whew.
What about 2024? The goals are: 52 books again; 50% by women; 15 different nationalities.
Finally, this is my yearly pitch for you to join Goodreads! I'll stop saying it's awesome because…. it's been complicated. But it's still useful. And they even do a recap of your year, like Spotify Wrapped but for people who drink lots of tea:
