Have any other bookworms out there been loving the extra
reading time? When I was working, I would get 15 minutes of reading time after
school on the train, half an hour a week at school for DEAR, and then a bit of
reading when I had my Sunday night bath. Now, I specifically set out to read 50
pages per day. I sit down in the evening with a cup of tea and read away.
Not only that, but I’ve also gone and reorganised my Goodreads
lists. I listen to so many podcasts about books, and I’m always in conversations
with other book lovers, so I get recommendations from everywhere. By the time I
read a book from my massive TBR pile, I can’t remember where I got the
suggestion from. From now on, every book I add to my Goodreads list will be
sorted in shelves based on where I heard about the book. You have no idea how
much this excites me.
Without further ado, these are books I have been reading in the past few weeks:
I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends – Kelsey
Miller – 4 Stars
If you’re
looking for a non-fiction book about the ins and outs of the cast and
characters of Friends, this is not your book. That is certainly what I was
expecting, but what I got was an informative look inside the creation and business
side of the production. I haven’t read a lot of books about the process of
making hit programs, so this was an interesting insight. When re-watching
Friends now, I have a whole new appreciation for what it took to put the
episodes and storylines together. I see the passion that the creators had for
what they were doing and the responsibility they felt for their audience.
Another
surprising element was the way it was written. Miller manages to write a very informative
book while also putting her own personality into the pages. She connects her
life to the way Friends has shaped social consciousness. She also tackles the
issues that many people are concerned with now (ie, Fat Monica, the all-white
cast, and the copious lesbian jokes) adeptly and consciously. This could have
been a book oversaturated with fact but Miller does a wonderful job at balancing
fact with personality. I have a whole new appreciation for the classic that is
Friends.
A Fall of Marigolds – Susan Meissner – 5 Stars
I adored this book. I’m always hesitant by
dual perspective books, but Meissner manages to do it effortlessly. This is a
story connected by a single scarf over different generations. Two women with
vastly different lives are paralleled through their stories. It does not flip
through their perspectives quickly in a way that is jarring to the reader.
Instead, it reflects critical moments at only a few points in the novel. The
characters are equally as dynamic, intriguing, and dealing with trauma as much as the other. The
link between them is fascinating without overpowering the narrative. I think
this is a brilliant book and it has gained its place on my favourites shelf.
Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” – Zora
Neal Hurston – 2 Stars
I almost feel
guilty for rating this so low since this is an important story and the writer
is legendary. I was so excited to get back to Hurston since I haven’t read her
works since I did my English degree. However, this is not Hurston as we know
and love her. Hurston sits down with one of the last men to be sold into
slavery and he gets to share his story. Cudjo Lewis himself is intriguing,
funny, and a storyteller. His story is an important one. It is a voice that has
been buried in history, and the way he tells his story makes you want to get to
know every aspect of his life.
That, however,
is not what this book really is. Lewis’s narrative is absolutely buried amongst
political explanations, history lessons, forewords from the author, forewords
from the editor, and explanations of the telling of the story. I found out
after reading it that this book was published posthumously because Hurston refused
to change Lewis’s vernacular (something I think is the biggest strength). I
feel like the publisher put explanation upon explanation as a way to make up
for the late publication.
If this were
just the Zora Neal Hurston part of the book, it would have been a 5. However,
the burial of the real story under nonsensical works from the publishers brings
this book down.
The Crowns of Croswold – D. E. Night – 3 Stars
This is a
thoroughly enjoyable, magical adventure. It has the perfect amount of action,
mystery, YA issues, and fantasy. I like the fully realised imaginings mixed
with interesting characters and a dark secret that takes us on a journey. I can
definitely sense the inspiration from beloved Harry Potter at multiple point in the novel, but I think Night adds enough of their own flair to keep the
novel fresh.
My one major
complaint is that there was a constant mix-up between affect and effect that
was quite jarring. It often took me out of the story and made it less desirable
to keep reading. This is not the best story ever written. It leans on stereotypes
heavily and it’s hard to separate some of the scenes from Harry Potter. However,
I think the plot was interesting, and I would give this book to younger readers
and people who like magic (and don’t care about grammatical errors).
Normal People – Sally Rooney – 4 Stars
I can’t get enough of this book. And yes,
it’s a book rather than a TV series. I always try to read the book first. It’s a
book about the painful growth of the relationship between Marianne and Connel.
It’s a book about class and popularity and coming of age. It’s a book about the
awkward moments that occur in everyone’s lives. It also delves into deep biases
and broken selves. This telling is realistic and poignant. It plays with time in Connel and Marianne’s relationship. When it jumps
ahead, it’s an important way to discover what the pair deems as a critical
event. It’s the way we all see our own lives.
This is not a
comfortable, cozy book. When it was over, I was relieved, but I also want to
cry - and I loved that feeling. As an English teaching, the lack of quotations was
difficult to grow comfortable with. Rooney “does not see the point” in them. In
a book where conversation and lack of communication between the main characters
is critical, I think quotations marks are necessary. Overall, I really did love
this book. The reality of the story and the openness about character flaws is
why this deserves four stars.
Not a bad reading list this time around! I’m reading a hefty
book at the moment, so the list may be shorter next time. I love being able to
get through my shelf!
What are you reading these days? Let me know in the
comments!
-Daniella
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