To curb my relentless book shopping spree’s, which end up sitting idle for close to a year before I pick them up, I use my local library service. The library is quaint, situated in the middle of my small town, and although it has a range of different types of genres, I’ve found it caters to the areas; older adults or infant children. Neither categories I quite fit into. I can get put off by this and find the relentless hunt for something that would interest me a little tedious (though I’m very much aware that I would spend hours adding to my Amazon wish list.)
However, recently my library has offered a service where you select your favourite genres and blindly choose some books. To cut a long story short, I received ‘Anxious People’ in last month’s selection.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, perhaps more than I thought. The synopsis was intriguing; a bank robbery went wrong, and a dozen strangers become intertwined, and I wasn’t sure what would happen during this story. I certainly didn’t expect a split narrative and an in-depth dissecting of these supposed strangers.
If you aren’t a fan of split narratives where the focus jumps from character to character, you may struggle with this. However, I wouldn’t say it’s tough to follow, nor is it boring or oversaturated. Author Fredrik Backman truly understands human trauma and the many ways it can show itself. The novel was a treat from start to finish and perfectly wrapped up all loose ends.
Delia Owens conjures up a delightfully unique tale centred around class and race prejudice and dealing with loss.
I just finished this novel, and now I can’t stop thinking about it—a feeling I haven’t had in a long time. Like most things these days, I tend to find popular books through social media. I saw a couple of influencers with this novel placed purposefully in the background of their photos, and like the sucker I am, I had to investigate further. My brief research shows that I’m about two years late to the party and Reese Witherspoon’s infamous book club covered this in 2018. I had no idea what this story would be about, and for a while, I avoided reading as I didn’t think I’d like it. When will I ever learn that judging a book by its cover will never work!
The story begins with ten-year-old Kya, a girl who lives with her large family on a town’s outskirts. Specifically in marshland. As Kya grows up, you experience her trauma with her, dealing with family members leaving until she is dumped by herself. When she is 23/4, a guy in the near town is found dead in the marsh, and she becomes the lead suspect in the case.
This novel is set in the mid-late ’60s and doesn’t shy away from racial conflicts and class prejudices. One of the big standouts of this novel is the writing quality; I was marking pages to remember the lines and get inspiration for my own writing. Lines like ‘The rain eased. A single drop, here then there, shook a leaf-like the flick of a cat’s ear.’ or ‘Before the feather game, loneliness had become a natural appendage to Kya, like an arm. Now it grew roots inside her and pressed against her chest.’
I wouldn’t say that this is solely a ‘murder-mystery’ novel, that wasn’t the most exciting part of the book, Owens writes Kya so that you can’t help but get attached to her story. I found myself feeling her pain and disappointment when yet ANOTHER person lets her down (there’s so many). If you like truthful and heartbreakingly raw stories that have you on an emotional rollercoaster right until the last page, I would highly recommend.
It seems like everything these days becomes a competition and comparison of achievement. Screen time is no exception. Although quite a foolish by-product of the last five years, screen time has become a vital measure of productivity. I’ll confess that mine is piss-poor at the moment. Currently, it’s Monday morning, and Apple kindly popped me a notification to let me know my stats from the previous week. An average of 9 hours and 41 minutes a DAY.
I was disappointed with myself. It didn’t stop me sending it to my group chat to kind of revel in the stupidity. I sort of expected my friends to reveal similar extortionate measures, but no. “Mine was an average of 3 hours,” one said, the other, “I thought my 5 hours a day was bad.” I guess I’m alone in this shame. I got a bit defensive then, thinking that these particular friends are gamers and spend more time in front of a computer/ TV screen than I do. They also probably access their messages on their laptop without having to touch their phone. It wasn’t fair. But why do I care? What are the connotations of screen time that make it so shameful?
I think it’s associated with lower intelligence, shorter attention span, and detachment from the outer world. All of this is true to an extent; the only one I would argue is the lower intelligence. For all Apple knows, I could be reading ‘Sapiens’ on my phone at a bus stop. It’s not always for keeping up to date on celebrity gossip or scrolling through Tik Tok.
However, I don’t want to defend myself; I simply wish to reduce this. Turn it into a competition, next week I’ll be able to say that I spent 0.1 seconds on my phone so take that!
It’s a shame though; I don’t want to be on my phone all the time. I tell myself it’s to keep up with the world, and studies show that there’s now the anxiety of missing something if we leave our phone alone for more than 15 minutes.
The news cycle is continually churning out new horrors or updates, and I don’t want to be ignorant of what’s happening globally. I’m also emailing people and waiting for responses which cause me to check religiously. I don’t want them to think I’m taking my time even though I’ve had to wait 5 hours for their response.
It’s a hideous existence to always feel behind or at risk of missing something big. I believe mine stemmed from when I was 18 in 2015. I just got into my first choice uni, and although it wasn’t too far from home, I still wanted the halls experience. I didn’t realise that it was racing to get a spot, I naively assumed it was a given if you were a fresher. I was very wrong and missed out a place in all of the halls available on campus. It wasn’t a big deal, I was still very social and made many friends commuting, but I always felt stupid for missing that straightforward thing. Before 18, I didn’t really need to check emails, I was at college 8 hours a day and got all my info from teachers in class, I hardly shopped online or did anything online other than watching Youtube. How was I supposed to know that emails and checking updates were so crucial?
There have been other times where I’ve missed out on things due to my lack of activity online, and there’s no doubt that’s affected my need to be on it more. Even when I take a break and reply a little slower, friends check up me (which I am grateful for) to make sure I’m alright. The fact that I haven’t responded quicker makes them worried instead of being just a regular thing.
The truth is, there is no need to keep checking my phone. The text and email will still be there in an hour. If they’re good friends, they won’t get offended, and if it’s an opportunity meant to happen, then there’s nothing wrong with being a little late to the party. However, it’s also okay to check your phone. I don’t want to feel shame for wanting to watch an episode of my favourite TV show in my bed after a long day. It’s also entertaining sometimes to scroll through Tik Tok and have a laugh. However, I need to learn to limit it, which is the goal for the next year.
Now that we are nearing the end of 2020, I’d thought I would compile a list of some books I’m interested in reading next year. There is a mixture of all fictional genres, non-fiction, classics, and new releases for everyone. Let me know at the end if there are any missing that I should check out!
(my own picture)
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (Release Feb 2021)
This one is a novella off of the main trio ‘A Court of Thorns & Roses’ by the same author so if you are not familiar, I would recommend reading the trilogy first. I’m very excited about this release as it promises to be a full-length focus on two of my favourite characters from the series. I’ve also seen on Goodreads that it’s supposedly 648 pages. You best believe that I will be curling up by the fire with this book and doing nothing else until I finish.
2. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (2020)
I wouldn’t say I’m a massive fan of his work as an actor but you only need to watch his 2014 Oscar speech to understand how captivating McConaughey is as an individual. He seems to be full of laid-back wisdom on how to slow down your living and that’s something I feel like I very much need right now!
3. Lore by Alexandra Bracken (Jan 2021)
This one caught my eye due to it’s interpretation on Greek mythology. The idea of having nine Greek Gods forced to roam earth as mortals is a captivating one and I’m excited to know where this author takes it. I think it’s young adult which isn’t a genre I often read anymore but due to the mythological link I reckon it will be interesting.
4. Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino (August 2019)
I want to incorporate some more non fiction pieces into my reading this and especially some small essays. The ‘Reflections on Self-Delusions’ intrigued me the most with this one. A commentary on 21st Century life in front of a screen and the implications of that on our self-worth, relationships, and overall interactions. Promises to be an interesting read!
5. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari (2015)
I finally got around to reading Sapiens and I’m so glad I did as it brought a new perspective on modern living and how we can better prepare for the direction we’re heading. Of course, this now means I want to tackle Harari’s next book ‘Homo Deus’ which seems to be a natural sequel to ‘Sapiens.’ However, I’m a little nervous about what will be revealed about our future as a human race.
6. Far From The Maddening Crowd by Thomas Hardy (1874)
I read Tess of the D’Ubervilles this year and really enjoyed it so I want to continue this good streak of reading classics and tackle another one of his. This novel is supposed to be a bit steamy with three very different men after one poor Bathsheba Everdene (what a name). I hope this one will have a slightly happier ending than Tess did!
7. Victoria Park by Gemma Reeves (March 2021)
I came across this book while scrolling through Instagram. It’s a novel that follows twelve different character who live around Victoria Park. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I really enjoy the split narrative and having the chance to explore different points of view.
8. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
I’ve heard of Haig before and follow him on Twitter, which I would recommend to anyone who struggles with their mental health. From what I gather on the synopsis there’s this library inbetween life and death where you have the chance to fix any regrets you have before completely passing over. Almost like a happy purgatory! I’m fascinated by this concept and really wouldn’t mind going to a library after I’ve died.
9. Like Streams to the Ocean: Notes on Ego, Love, and the Things That Make Us Who We Are by Jedidiah Jenkins (Feb 2021)
I read Jenkins’ first memoir of his epic bike riding trip earlier this year and I still think about it very often. Therefore, I was excited to hear that he was in the process of releasing a new novel. If you like modern, easy writing styles with a sprinkle of wisdom, I would recommend Jenkins!
10. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
If you keep up to date on the hot new books, then you may be familiar with this title. Queenie seemed to take the UK by storm this summer and everyone was reading Carty-Williams humourous coming-of-age story set in modern Britain. I’m British and heard very good things about Carty-Williams’ writing so looking forward to trying this out!
So this is my list of 10 books I’m looking forward to reading in 2021. I’m sure there will be many more but for now 10 is a nice and manageable number. Let me know if there are any more I should check out!
In a brief moment of madness, I decided I wanted to tackle my ever-growing pile of classical TBR. I’m guilty of purchasing a lot of credible classic novels without actually sitting down to read them. By all means, I have the intention, but the time never comes. This is where Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’ubervilles comes into play.
The novel was written in 1891 and first appeared as weekly instalments in the magazine The Graphic. When I found this out, it gave explanation for why so much occurred in each chapter. Hardy was writing to maintain the interest of the magazine readers and therefore keeping his work in publication.
I will be spoiling some significant incidents that occur in the novel, but if you are intrigued to read, all I’ll say is this: Hardy presents a chaotic and tragic story where you’re left unsure what direction it’s going in. It’s exciting and modern in its plot and actively points out some of the ridiculous double-standards held towards women of this time. It’s a gripping read and encouraged me to continue reading Hardy’s work.
Firstly, I was surprised at how serious the distressing sexual assault episode was handled. Hardy didn’t brush past it, he candidly presented Tess’s struggle and trauma as a valid and shocking event. He didn’t stop there either, the result of this assault was a pregnancy, losing the baby to an illness, and then having to bury her child alone. In the short span that these events occur, you fully empathize with Tess’s grief and rightly criticize the villagers, her family, and the rapist for the way they treated her. Hardy didn’t victim blame nor portray Tess as unfavourable or impure; he instead highlighted the unlawful treatment she received.
Speaking of her treatment throughout the novel, let’s discuss Tess’ parents. Firstly, they send her off to a strange house to virtually sell her off for inheritance; then they shun her for falling pregnant through rape alongside trying to encourage her to marry the rapist. Overall, I am not a big fan. Now let’s talk about the other disappointments in the book, the men. Of course, Alec D’Urberville is the literal worse, and I feel his character is the carbon copy of ‘Jock Douche-bag Guy’ in every high school narrative. He is an aggressor and actively pursues Tess even after she says ‘no’ and avoids him as much as possible. But to Alec, ‘no’ means ‘yes,’ and after the sexual assault, he disappears for most of the middle part. However, he doesn’t go away that easily; instead, he pops up again as a born again Christian. Of course he does! I feel like I can name several other characters like him who do something so awful and then change their ways. Alec truly is the blueprint for this.
Now Angel comes into the picture as the antithesis of Alec, he’s intelligent and sensitive and seems to love Tess not only for her looks. Hardy encourages you to feel like he’s perfect for Tess. Don’t get your hopes up. He also refuses to listen to Tess when she tries to discourage him from marriage due to her past; but he simply doesn’t want to hear it. Instead of plays it off like whatever it is can’t be that bad. Lo and behold, when he finds out,he decides the best punishment is to leave his new wife to fend for herself and go to South America alone. Yes, he just up and left her with no money and no date of his return. Husband of the year award goes to him. Hardy does redeem him slightly by the end, Angel comes to his senses and in a bizarre turn of events is very supportive when Tess confesses she has murdered Alec in a moment of anger. Angel again feels like a predecessor for the character trope of the lovable, naive man who makes mistakes but at least owns up to them.
All these elements lead result in a really sad ending where Tess ultimately pays the price for her crime and is executed. An ending I would have never expected in a million years. Hardy really took this novel on a journey, and now that I know it was published in chapters, I doubt if he had a vision on how he wanted the story to end. Yet, this is what makes this novel such a joy to read.
This may seem a peculiar choice of book to write about because it’s already a pretty renowned bestseller. Nonetheless, this book is one that has stayed with me for over two years since the first time I read it. I am guilty of and will happily confess to being someone who disregards a book just from its first impression. I defined One Day to be a cheesy depth-less romance novel in part due to the cover edition I had featuring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess dramatically embracing each other. Don’t get me wrong, I do love these types of books but going into One Day with that mindset does not give justice to Nicholls’ ability to carve out mundane human experiences in an effortless way that you can’t help but connect to it. I caught myself thinking about this book again recently and particularly the character’s journeys to finding their feet in their twenties, and I knew I had to pick it up and reread it. I can’t usually bring myself to re-read a book even if I did really love it, it almost seems a little redundant to me, but with this book, it was a comforting return to the characters that I can seamlessly relate to. Here is why it is my book of the moment.
I empathized with Emma’s character very early on. She’s a headstrong, stubborn and ambitious 22-year-old that sees her future as being bright and powerful just due to her sheer willingness to make a change. She shortly finds that this is not the reality thrusted upon her and ends up working in a Mexican chain restaurant until she’s nearly 26. Nicholls could have easily given Emma a successful head start in life, she’s described as a double first Edinburgh University student after all. Yet, to choose ultimately a more realistic view on graduate life made me connect with her even more. The complete loss of drive and the self-hatred is typical of many graduates, like me, in similar situations. I started reading this when I was straight out of university with no clue what was next, and I have to say that one of Dexter’s letters in Chapter Three to Emma was a little too close to home. We then have Dexter who is experiencing graduate life entirely different, where Emma lacks self-belief and is a little pessimistic, Dexter is confident and impulsive. He lands a job as a TV presenter which only goes to inflate his ego and paint him out as one of those ‘gets everything handed to him’ types. The whole dynamic between these two is textbook chalk and cheese I guess, but Nicholls showcases Dexter’s cockiness in a way that we know is not reflective of his full personality and similarly with Emma’s rigidness.
The idea of checking in on these characters just one day a year is an ingenious way to both move the story forward and avoid long periods of unnecessary filler. I never felt that I was playing catch up every chapter. The story moved seamlessly and documented their lives as if you were a part of it. This novel also plays into that fantasy of having a long time connection with someone and just to have someone so easily stay in your life. Though it isn’t easy for the characters and it feels fitting that they eventually ended up together, the thought of writing letters, leaving drunken voicemails, and just turning up out of the blue is romantic. There are parts of the novel that feel painful, and for me, the worst part isn’t the death at the end. It is more the years where Emma was falling out of love with her career and slipping into seedy affairs with older men, and the years where Dexter wasn’t sure who he could trust and hopelessly searching for intimacy in the wrong places. These moments are the ones that make the characters human and you can’t help but hope they get what they need by the end.
Unfortunately, the ending isn’t so happy, and the shock of Emma’s sudden death is nothing but surprising, and I can’t say I felt the necessity for it when I first read it. It felt almost like a cliche to highlight the frustration of having the ‘will they won’t they’ answered for it to just melt away again. Dexter is left alone and Emma, though she ended up achieving her career, was left frozen in that time. I didn’t like this decision for a while, but on the second reading I thought about the significance of it for the story. Hitting Dexter with a double whammy of losing his mother and then Emma, both being the more stable and consistent female influences in his life, is telling of how this book was more focussed around testing Dexter’s resilience.
After her death, Nicholls chooses to recalls that first day which starts it all off, revealing more about the alleged one night stand between these two that kick-started a friendship turned relationship of twenty years. The effectiveness of returning to that first day to conclude the novel is that it encouraged me to revise all their other interactions. When you start the book in 1988, you are aware that Emma and Dexter spent a night together, but that was about it, it’s unclear as to how they kept in touch after that interaction and whether it became anything. In the concluding chapter, you experience the novel with a question that was never really answered until after Emma’s death causing the story to go full circle.
For me, this novel feels like a bible for your twenties and how chaotic and unpredictable they can be. Nicholls uses Emma and Dexter to represent two opposite sides of an existential spectrum and delves honestly into the general heartbreak that comes from a lot of your experiences. I truly get comfort from this novel and that’s a feeling which is rare but special to get whenever you can.
I first saw this book cover on Adele’s Instagram page. Not that I frequently look to celebrities for recommendations, but everyone loves Adele, and I love new books. The cover and title intrigued me. It looked stereotypically hipster and pretentious. Initially, it gave the impression it was going to be a self-help book, and at the best of times, these books are sluggish and unhelpful. However, I went and googled it anyways, and the short synopsis continued to grab my interest. ‘On the eve of turning thirty, terrified of being funneled into a life he didn’t choose, Jedidiah Jenkins quit his dream job and spent sixteen months cycling from Oregon to Patagonia.’ The first thought was SIXTEEN MONTHS?!? that’s a long journey, also CYCLING all that time… all of it sounded like an exciting nightmare. I saved the tab on my browser to eventually buy and read it. Well, that was around a year ago, and since I have a little more free time on my hands at the moment, I rediscovered the tab and ordered it.
The synopsis felt adventurous but very un-relatable, I was fully prepared to enter this book as a bystander witnessing someone else finally fulfil their dream. However, the beauty of Jenkins’ recount of his journey is that he is honest about the times he didn’t want to continue and the conflicts between his practical and emotional side. I really grew a personal connection to his thoughts and feelings, which was powerful and unexpected. Jenkins could have easily kept his memoir at a surface level and recount the journey from beginning to end in a rigid and factual structure. However, there are welcome digressions which allows us as the reader to understand his state of mind at each stage of the trip.
Jenkins candidly recounts his frustrations with his cycling partner Weston’s contrasting radical views alongside his internal conflict with Christianity. From the first chapter, you discover that the core reason surrounding this trip is very relatable regardless of your age. It is a feeling of restlessness and dissatisfaction with where you are in your life and that little voice in your head feeding you ‘What if’s.’ what if you go for it and accomplish something wild or what if you fail and amount to nothing. Jenkins represents many of us in our twenties; reaching a mental wall in careers and accomplishments, feeling stagnant and wading through the constant comparisons to others’ achievements. Jedidiah Jenkins faces these fears head-on and gives his dreams a platform to become a reality. I’m 22 and reading this memoir from someone several years older gives me a sense of reassurance. I see a clear message of taking control of your approach to your life stands out to me. Alongside the highs of being on your way to achieving a dream, there are the many dark periods of loneliness and fear. Jenkins refreshingly shows us his struggles with self-doubt, allowing the reader to see him on a relatable level. He is no professional when it comes to biking 14’000 miles across several countries, but then again who is?
I highly recommend this book, it is addictive and a compelling memoir of a sixteen-month trip living off of a pushbike. I found myself being excited when I found the time to pick it up and continue reading. It’s inspiring in more ways than one and fills you with a sense of self-assurance and comfort. It is a book I can see myself returning to many times in the future..
saharamelts 