My reading took a sharp downturn during the pandemic, probably some sort of mass depression, and I would go months without reading anything. This month, which included my birthday, I seemed to snap out of this 4 year fog and went on a reading binge. I wanted to share the books I read and thoughts on them.
Persuasion, Jane Austen: the only Jane Austen book I hadn’t read. Some consider it her best work, and I tend to agree. Anne Elliot is very relatable.
Dark Places, Gillian Flynn: I love how Flynn makes her female characters unlikable. The twist wasn’t hard to figure out, but it was enjoyable.
Better Than Before: Mastering the Habit of Our Everyday Lives, Gretchen Rubin: might give some insight as to why I haven’t been reading much these past several years. Not bad, has some good ideas. I would not like the author in real life, though.
Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James: I preferred the movie. Lydia is still the worst.
Parable of the Sower, Octavia E. Butler: my favorite read this month. She managed to make a bleak world seem hopeful. Definitely reading the sequel this next month.
Psycho, Robert Bloch: the movie follows the book very well. Although, the book Norman Bates looks nothing like Anthony Perkins, which I find funny because Anthony Perkins was perfect. The twist would have been huge if I hadn’t seen the movie a hindered and fifty times. Worth the read for the interior monologues of the characters.
Black Hole, Charles Burns: It always bothers me how women in graphic novels are often drawn. Why are their heads so small for their bodies? Didn’t really care for it, it was really gross. I know that was the point, but still.
The Songs of Achilles, Madeline Miller: I really like this one. I liked Circe better, probably because I prefer a female protagonist, but I really enjoyed it. I love the reimagining of mythological characters.
Lies and Weddings, Kevin Kwan: I loved the Crazy, Rich Asians series and this was just as good. He definitely enjoyed mocking the ultra rich and I am here for it. There are some over the top insane moments that made me laugh out loud.
by houndsoflu