September marks exactly a year since I ended my Masters programme. To say it’s been a busy year would be an understatement. But interestingly enough, it’s also been my most personally productive. And by that I mean that while being in university forced me to be academically on the ball, being away from it has made me realise how much of my personal ambitions I had put to the side to focus on school. This blog, for example, has been a desire of mine and Z’s for years, but it only came to fruition after ending school, and having the time to think of something outside of academia, and also not feel guilty for spending time on something that can be considered procrastination in another situation.
Similarly, reading for pleasure can often be a fast-track ticket to feeling guilty for spending your time on something other than school. However, the reality of the situation is that since ending my degree in English literature I have read far more, and more widely than I did during my undergraduate.
The start of my second year out of school made me so grateful for all the time I have to read, even with a typical 9-5 work schedule. Moreover, I do not want to take it for granted as I go back to school in the new year. So, I wanted to take a moment to round up my September reads.
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
This Michael Ondatje novel was the the second book from the Man Booker Longlist that I read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Siblings Nathaniel and Rachel are seemingly abandoned by their parents in post-war London, left in the care of a stranger they know only as The Moth and his even stranger group of friends. They are left wondering why their parents left while they are looked after and raised by a group of misfits. Incredibly insightful and poignant, Warlight was a wonderful read, beautifully written and deeply moving. You can find the full review I did for the novel here.
Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel
The final book in the Themis Files trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel, I loved reading this and getting to finish the story. While there was a lot more teenage angst, and a fair amount of “I hate you, Dad!” in the book, it was an incredible science fiction novel. Additionally, more so than the previous two in the series, Only Human is a great mirror of the injustices we as population often incur on ourselves. You can read my full reviews of the first two novels on the blog: Sleeping Giants and Waking Gods.
Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
The second of the Canongate myth series novel I have read, this Ali Smith novella was a delight to read. A quick read, the story follows sisters Anthea and Imogen who live in their grandparents old home. While Imogen is trying to succeed as a ‘normal’ and successful woman in Inverness, Anthea seeks something special to change her life, and she finds it in a activist graffiti artist. The novel made us rethink what qualifies as normal in life and what is worth fighting for. You can read more blog posts on the Canongate myth series here.
Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda: The Love Letters of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald
A frequent occurrence in biographies and memoirs is to sensationalise events. In order to be considered more exciting, things are expected to include elements of drama in them. Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda work to dispel these sensationalised rumours about the famous couple is part of what made me love reading the book so much. Reading the letters of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald was a wonderful way to get to know the two intimately. Moreover, it brought light and re-assessed how we look at mental health, re-examining Zelda’s schizophrenia and Scott’s alcoholism and the role it played in their relationship.
Hope you enjoyed this run-down of my September reads, and exciting news! if you enjoyed this post you can now follow the blog with Bloglovin!
~ S ~
