February Reading Recap
Hello, fellow book lovers. We made it to March, which means spring is on its way! As comfy as it is, I’m ready to trade in my blanket and spot on the couch for a breezy seat outside a coffee shop to do my reading. A few books are coming out this month that I’m anxious to get my hands on. So, stay tuned for what is shaping up to be an exciting March of reading.
In the meantime, I will reflect on a few buzzy February books. Some lived up to the hype, while a few fell short. Let me know which ones you’re adding to your TBR. Until next time, happy reading!
We Do Not Part by Han Kang
Quick Synopsis: After a terrible accident, Kyungha’s friend, Inseon, asks her to travel to her home to care for her bird.
Strong Points: Remember when I said I needed to wait a while to read more Han Kang? Well, I lied. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her new novel, especially after her Nobel Prize win. There’s a “Nobel Prize curse” that says authors choke under the pressure of writing their follow-up novel after winning the prize. While it's such an honor to win, the pressure to continue writing grand novels is a lot to handle. Yasunari Kawabata won in 1968 and never published another piece of writing again. Harry Martinson was probably the most extreme case of this curse. After winning it in 1974, he said it destroyed him as a writer and he took his life 4 years later. However, this was not the case with Han Kang and We Do Not Part. In classic Kang fashion, the writing and storytelling were superb. Much like The Vegetarian, this book brings that quintessential dark tone to the story which I love. I've never read another author who can effectively write in this dark tone without coming across as trying too hard. Her prose is eloquent. I found myself underlining and re-reading. This felt much more like The Vegetarian than Human Acts and I’m here for it.
Weak Points: Ay, ay, ay. This is not the book’s fault and I hesitate to mention this, BUT I wish Kang wouldn’t focus so heavily on the very descriptive, inhumane violence that took place in South Korea. I know it’s a crucial period in South Korea's history that needs to be told and is very important to her, as it should be, but it’s tough to read. While this wasn’t quite as heavy as Human Acts, and she did focus on themes of friendship and the bonds we make with people throughout life, a good portion of it centered around brutality and violence. I would love to see Kang write a passionate, beautiful book about another topic.
If you’re in the mood for a reflective book, let this be your next read.
Writing Style: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Flow/Pacing: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend
For Fans of: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami, Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, and Kungen av Nostratien by Tony Samuelsson
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
Quick Synopsis: A gothic tale of a psychopathic governess who goes to work for a wealthy family.
Strong/Weak Points: What a fun and chaotic book. Just as the title suggests, this is indeed about a psychopath that is living in the Victorian era. The main character Winifred, announces her intentions from the first page when she pulls up to her employer's house and states that everyone in the house will soon be dead. There is no mystery about what this book is going to be. The reader is left to sit back and enjoy this odd bloodbath.
Winifred is a strange and demented character who is a bit of an unreliable narrator. I'm not the biggest fan of unreliable narrators. When not done correctly, it leaves the reader (or at least me) feeling like I can't connect with the story as much because I'm wondering what is true and untrue. Unfortunately, this was the case with this book.
It was a short hang, coming in at 184 pages. The writing wasn't superb, and the story was pretty basic. But sometimes you need books that you can simply enjoy and shut your brain off for a while.
It’s being adapted into a movie by A24 starring Margaret Qualley and Thomasin McKenzie. Feito is set to write the screenplay as well. Should be an enjoyable movie.
An entertaining, popcorn read.
Writing Style: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend
For Fans of: Old Soul by Susan Barker, Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce, and Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
Isola by Allegra Goodman
Quick Synopsis: An heir to a fortune and her lover are deserted on an island at sea.
Strong Points: This was published at the beginning of the month and was getting glowing reviews, so I hopped on the hype train and gave it a spin.
I was amazed to learn this is based on a true story. Marguerite de la Rocque was an heir to a fortune whose parents had died, leaving her and her inheritance with a kinsman. This kinsman, Jean François Roberval sailed to what is now Canada and forced Marguerite to come along with him. Roberval was pissed when he found out that his apprentice was sleeping with Marguerite so he threw them both off the boat and onto an island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in 1542. Marguerite went on to live on this deserted island for two years, braving the extreme weather and fighting off polar bears and other wild beasts before being rescued. The author became aware of this tale through a children's book she was reading to her kids and became enthralled, rightfully so. She decided to write a historical fiction book about it.
I’m usually not a huge fan of historical fiction. I feel a nagging sense of needing to look up what's fact vs fiction. But since I didn’t know much about the 1500s, and there are only two surviving accounts on record of Marguerie's story, there wasn’t much to question or look up. I got lost in the story and enjoyed it for what it was.
Weak Points: There was a pacing issue. It felt particularly slow in the many religious scenes. It was the 1500s after all and I get that religion played a huge part in their everyday lives, but those parts dragged on two beats too long. And the many, many religious zealot characters were one-dimensional. It was hard to connect with them, not just because I’m not religious but because they were so bland and cold. I think those sections could have benefited from a little character development.
It also took so long for Marguerite to get to the island. I was halfway through and wondering when the plot that was promised on the jacket cover was going to come into play.
If you’re fine with a slower-paced book, the ending pays off.
Writing Style: 3/5
Characters: 2.5/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 3/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Eh, Recommend
For Fans of: Three Days in June by Anne Tyler, Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson, and The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
Source Code: My Beginnings by Bill Gates
Quick Synopsis: The life of Bill Gates from infant to a successful entrepreneur.
Strong Points: You can say what you want about Bill Gates politics aside, he is working towards bettering this world without a weird, narcissistic agenda (looking at you, Musk). We are lucky to have people like him who use their wealth to improve humanity. I didn’t care for his other book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. It was dry and overall just plain boring. So, I went into this book with low expectations. But it was great! The writing was witty, yet it felt like his natural voice. Nothing felt forced. His stories were entertaining and honest. The reader got to see the warm, humanistic side of Bill that we otherwise weren't privy to.
I also liked that he wrote about his life up to the point where he officially gained success from Microsoft. He didn’t go far into his adulthood and meeting Melinda. I was worried it was going to be “his side” of the story of their divorce. I wasn’t interested in that. I was interested in how he became the successful and intelligent person he is today. However, he did say he plans on writing two other biographies to continue his story and this is only part one. Stay tuned for that.
Weak Points: As someone who knows very little about computers and computer software, the jargon and coding portions were pretty dull. However, I’m not sure how he would have made those sections much more interesting. It’s a subject matter that I quite frankly have no interest in. But I'm a huge fan of Microsoft Office. Thanks, Bill!
If you’re into biographies about smart people, check this one out.
Writing Style: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
For Fans of: On the Hippie Train by Rick Steves, Superagency by Reid Hoffman, and Gambling Man by Lionel Barber
Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize
Quick Synopsis: Looking to escape her marriage and chaotic life, a woman attends a retreat at a monastery and never leaves.
Strong Points: Even though Stone Yard Devotional has been published in the UK since last March, it was only published in the US last month. I was able to snag it from the library and I was sure happy that I did. This was a hit on many levels:
1. The writing It was clear why it was shortlisted for the Booker. While I still think Orbital deserved to win, Stone Yard Devotional gave it a run for its money. You could tell each sentence was carefully thought out and well crafted. I read it on my Kindle but would have loved to have a physical copy to underline and revisit.
2. The storytelling I saw a review that described it as “a quiet novel of immense power." I couldn’t agree more. On the surface, the story is pretty simple, and not a lot happens, but the way the author writes this story is so effective. She skillfully writes about such heavy themes, but they are subtle enough not to bog the story down yet developed enough to add meat to the story. I liked the themes of overcoming grief and guilt that everyone feels and the complex ways each person copes. I also liked the theme of climate change and how every single one of our actions has consequences that affect other people and things.
3. The length It was the perfect length. It didn’t overstay its welcome and the ending nailed the landing.
Weak Points: Nothing of note
If you read anything off this post, let it be this one.
Writing Style: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Flow/Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Highly Recommend
For Fans of: Orbital by Samantha Harvey, The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden, and Held by Anne Michaels
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
Quick Synopsis: Gail Baines is at a crossroads in her life. After losing her job and her daughter to her new son-in-law, she contemplates the next stage of life.
Strong Points: I really enjoyed Tyler’s other book, A Spool of Blue Thread and I thought I would pick this one up. There’s no doubt about it, she’s a very talented author. She’s been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize and won in 1989 for her book Breathing Lessons. Her writing reminds me a lot of Anne Patchett’s writing in that it’s heavy on character development and not so much plot. The writing is mellow and easy to read. You know you can settle in and enjoy your time.
Weak Points: All that being said, I think her characters weren’t as fully developed as I would have liked. They weren’t distinct enough from each other. I can’t stand when all of the characters use a very specific phrase or weird lingo that people in the real world wouldn't naturally use. If one character is the “goofy” one or has a catchphrase they like to use, I can look past it, but when all of the characters are using the same odd lingo, they become inauthentic. After the third character used “golly molly” I don't understand how the editor didn't catch it. Maybe I’m being too harsh, but it feels uncreative and takes me out of the story.
If you’re looking for a sweet, simple, and fun story to read.
Writing Style: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
For Fans of: Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks, Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson, and What Happened to the McCrays by Tracey Lange
Roman Year: A Memoir by André Aciman
Quick Synopsis: After fleeing Egypt in 1965, André, his brother, and his deaf mother go to Rome.
Strong Points: This is my first André Aciman book. Unfortunately, I didn’t read his other novel, you might have heard of it, Call Me By Your Name. But consider me a Aciman fan now. His writing feels very natural yet complex and full, making this book very enjoyable and comfy to read.
Since it’s titled Roman Year, I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by telling you Aciman does indeed leave Rome after one year. At the end of the book, he masterfully articulates that feeling of leaving a place you once hated but grew to love. That feeling of being excited for the next adventure and knowing you’d never want to stay in that place forever, but being sad about the people you’d leave behind and the memories you’ve made there. The smells you’d miss. The stores and buildings you passed by every day. They are still going to be there and live on even when you’re not there. Those dogs you used to watch from your window are still getting walked and the baristas you've come to know are still making coffee only now without you there. There’s something very melancholy about that. And it’s a feeling that’s tough to convey, but he did it in such a beautiful way. It made me reflect on the places I’ve lived and have since left. It was a little bittersweet.
Weak Points: The second to last chapter (again, no spoilers) was him saying goodbye to the city and reflecting on his time there. It felt perfect. And then I turned the page to realize there was a whole other chapter (I was reading this on my Kindle so I wasn’t sure how much more I had left). The last chapter was about him returning to the city and his old neighborhood with his children. It didn’t have the same impact as the second to last chapter. It felt out of rhythm and didn’t quite flow as well. Needless to say, I think he should have gone out on a bang with the second to last chapter and left it as that.
If you’re in the mood for an introspection about life, this one is for you.
Writing Style: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
For Fans of: Our Evenings by Alan Holllinghurts, Small Rain by Garth Greenwell, and Gabriel’s Moon by William Boyd
“We all make saints of the dead, I said. It’s the only way we can bear it” -Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
