Hi,
So, those of you who read this post may remember that my goal for this summer is to participate in the 20 Books of Summer challenge, which runs from June until September.
Well, I have a confession… As June was taken up by exams, I’ve so far only managed to read 5 books.
Yes, I’m disappointed too. However, I’m hoping that having free time over summer might mean I can still finish the challenge.
With that in mind, I’ve decided to start posting more regular updates, which I’ll use to let you all know what I’ve been reading.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
I went into this one knowing very little about the story, having only picked it up because I felt it was about time I read some Atwood that wasn’t The Handmaid’s Tale. So, the big question… is it as good as Handmaid? No. However, given few books are, that shouldn’t be taken as a criticism, and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. It tells the true story of Grace Marks, a real servant girl, who was convicted of murdering her master and his housekeeper/mistress in 1800s Canada, with Atwood trying to imagine how Grace might have told her story. Grace’s co-accused was a male servant. I loved the way Atwood, as a passionate feminist, tries to show how Grace’s conviction may well have been unfair, resulting from a combination of a limited understanding of mental health problems, and the sexist society’s determination to see Grace as a promiscuous, calculated woman, who led her co-accused astray. She actually manages to make Grace a likeable character, in spite of her murderous past, showing her to be a quiet, hard-working woman who wants to move on from her crime. Above all, Alias Grace is a fascinating study of gender stereotypes, with Grace viewed differently by different characters, cast as either the ignorant servant girl or the evil temptress, with either view said to explain her crime. It is a fascinating insight into how society has continually shamed female criminals for straying outside gender norms, and defying stereotypes about ‘gentle’ women.
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Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 ( 4 / 5 )
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Those of you who read this post know that I recently read The Goldfinch by Tartt, and found myself decidedly disappointed. However, as I’m aware that The Secret History seems to be even more popular, I decided that I’d still give it a go. I was intrigued by the premise of the book, which begins with the narrator describing how he and his friends committed murder, before going back in time to explain what led them to the act. Essentially, it’s a murder mystery that takes the form of a “why-dunnit” rather than the classic “who-dunnit”. I expected to be gripped, and I must say that the lead up to the murder proved to be fast-paced and intriguing. The issue with this, is that the murder occurs a mere half way through the book, with the rest of the novel being devoted to exploring how the various characters feel after killing their friend. Unfortunately, this is incredibly predictable, as they simply morph into typical ‘troubled teen’ characters… their drinking, smoking and mental anguish isn’t anything unique or original, and becomes pretty predictable given their circumstances. After 200 pages of reading about their devastation, which seems to be more about their worries of being caught than their guilt at having killed their friend, I was sick of these selfish, poorly developed characters, and their contempt for anyone less educated or fortunate than themselves. Overall, it is only its original premise and the fact that the first half of the book is vaguely interesting that makes The Secret History marginally more enjoyable than The Goldfinch.
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Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 ( 3 / 5 )
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
It seemed about time that I read this book, the only one of Hosseini’s novels that I hadn’t yet read. It tells the story of an Afghan brother and sister who are separated as children, but has a narrative that is split several different ways, with each chapter told from the perspective of a different person who has had an impact on the siblings’ story. Some of these stories are more effective than others, but they combine to provide a fascinating insight into the culture of Afghanistan, and I liked the novel’s unique format. As ever, Hosseini seems to endeavour to break readers’ hearts, filling his rich narrative with likeable characters and gutwrenching situations. My only issue with the book, was its ending. Whilst I’m unsurprised that a book by Hosseini had an ending that was far from cheery, I just found its conclusion a little… flat. With this in mind, I have given a rating that reflects the fact that this book just isn’t quite as great as The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns.
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Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 ( 4 / 5 )
The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer
I finished this book a week ago, and I’m still none the wiser about what it’s actually about, or the message it is trying to convey. The narrative is told from the perspective of Matthew, a mentally ill teen who still struggles to come to terms with the death of his older brother. Whilst the book’s rambling, eclectic style seems appropriate coming from a Schizophrenic character, it also makes the narrative extremely hard to follow, and the “message” of the book remains largely unclear. Basically, I got bored of this book, as I trudged through pages and pages of rambling when trying to discern the point of the story. There are many better books available for those interested in reading about characters suffering from a mental illness.
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Rating: 🌟🌟 ( 2 / 5 )
Can I Speak to Someone in Charge? by Emily Clarkson
I read this book last summer, and recently decided to give it a reread, after becoming interested in the body positive movement. This is essentially a survival guide for the modern young woman, covering everything from dealing with body hair, to fighting an ED. It’s written as a series of open letters, with my favourites criticising the ‘thinspiration’ movement, and the fashion industry’s reluctance to cater for “plus size” women, lest they are labelled unfashionable or uncool. Clarkson is definitely one of my favourite feminist bloggers, and is particularly relatable for younger women. Her book is equal amounts heart-breaking and hilarious, and it really is a must read for this generation of stressed, insecure and generally emotional girls, who struggle with everything from finding clothes that fit them, to working up the courage to go make-up free.
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Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 ( 4 / 5 )
So, you’re now up-to-date on my summer reading progress! Let’s hope August is a much more successful month.
I also have an announcement about my blog schedule: I will no longer be aiming to post 3 times a week. I’ve found that it’s just not a realistic target for me, given that I’m often busy, and it takes me a long time to produce a high quality post. I’m now aiming to post 1-2 times a week, and I’m hoping that this will allow me to produce higher quality posts, without me having to stress about deadlines.
Em x
(4/5)
Busy Bee Reads 