October was an interesting month for me, bookwise. While I had put up a recommendation of spooky Halloween themed books earlier in the month, I found myself reading all different kinds of books, from horror to romance, to short stories and non-fiction essays. This month was definitely the definition of diverse reading.
Sometimes I can find myself reading too heavily in a specific genre, and while I love what I am reading, sooner or later I’ll find myself in a rut as I can’t find the perfect book in that genre anymore, or the perfect book to satisfy me at that time.
So, I diversify as much as I can, and I’m happy for it, as it constantly asks me to shift my perspective and the kind of reading that I am doing. Reading can become such a passive activity as it requires you to stay seated and mostly static for long durations of time. To have the activity of my mind being increased by the challenge of switching around types and genres of books I’m reading is a welcomed push of mental activity.
And out of the books that I read this month, I am glad to say that I thoroughly enjoyed all of them. So, without any more rambling, here are my October reads:
World War Z by Max Brooks
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I won’t talk too much about this one since I did mention it in my 5 Best Halloween Book Picks from my Bookshelf, but if you are a horror fan, this is a book to read. Written in retrospection through a series of interviews with survivors from the Zombie War, Max Brooks sets up an incredible speculation of how the world would react were a worldwide pathogen of the zombie variety be a reality. Clearly quite knowledgeable on world politics (though a little too biased towards the United States for my liking), Brooks sets about anticipating the most likely courses of actions of individuals and of whole governments in the event of a worldwide epidemic. Aside from the fascinating world he creates from doing this, the stories that are included in the interviews are touching, dramatic, tragic and the right touch of mysterious.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
⭐⭐⭐
Another novel written in epilstory form, this romance is set in the aftermath of World War II and looking at the recovery of a young author living in London who receives a letter from a man in the small island of Guernsey. While she is getting used to life outside of the war and looking for something new to write, she becomes obsessed with the creation and the members of a literary society on the island, and how it helped its members survive the war through companionship, support and trust.
I don’t usually find myself reading romance books. For whatever reason, they do not tend to be high on my TBR list. But I had heard so much about this one, and in all honesty, I really wanted to see the movie, but did not feel I could in good faith without having read the book (the curse of a bookworm). So I picked it up and I am so glad that I did. The protagonist, Juliet Ashton, is witty, feisty, loving and undeniable strong making her one of the most appealing characters I have read about in a while. Though the last third of the novel felt a little rushed and the introduction of a new character and storyline felt a little disjointed, the experience of reading the novel was so uplifting that I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for an easy read with delightful characters.
What we Talk About When we Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I bought this collection of short stories so long ago but never got around to reading it. Why not, I couldn’t tell you but I’m so glad I got the chance to read it now. Though the title might suggest a fairly romantic topic, the short stories Carver crafts are not all to do with romance but of love in all the senses: familial, friendships, for inanimate objects, for memories. The stories talk of a desire for love and a need to understand it. Carver looks into the heart of how people communicate and what lonely people do to pass the time. Some of the stories are incredibly odd and at times did not make the most sense after only one read, while others are poignant and touching. But true for all is that Carver explores the topic through a wide lens that has led this collection of stories to be an influential piece of literary fiction.
Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
⭐⭐⭐.5
This collection of non-fiction essays is a look into the complexities of being a feminist while similarly enjoying or loving things that can be categorised as unfeminist. Roxanne Gay has authored many books and has definitely gotten the hang of great use of language to translate a point, and uses it well in this collection of essays. But moreover, the subject matter is quite genius. The expectation for a movement to be perfect can often lead to division within and result in blame and resentment being thrown around as people fail to live up to expectations and standards (as they always will, because that is human).
Gay tackles these questions and works through some of the ideological resistance that comes with identifying as a feminist and finding enjoyment in elements that find themselves in contradiction to movement. While not the most entertaining read, it was highly interesting and an important read for those looking to find a middle ground between their ideological beliefs and their daily enjoyments.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Based on the true story of a jewish concentration camp survivor, Morris paints a bleak, but realistic, picture of life in some of the worst concentration camps of WWII. Best known as a romance story, the novel tells of a young Slovakian man, Lale, who is taken Poland at the start of the war to serve out three years of his life in the camps. While he is there, he meets another prisoner, Gita, and falls in love with her.
While much of history tells us of the horrible deeds the Nazis took part in throughout the war, the novel takes a similar look at what some of the actions prisoners were forced to do on behalf of the Nazi army, like tattooing other prisoners as they enter the camps. While the experiences weigh heavy on the lives of the prisoners, leaving them with a strong sense of guilt, Morris shows the strength of some in finding hope where they can, and using it to spread goodness and support to other prisoners in their times of need. Though a little slow to start, the story is beautifully written and told and worth reading through the whole way, but be aware, it is quite depressing.
Side note: The audiobook version of the novel read by Richard Armitage is also wonderful and a great listen for road trips or long walks!
~S~
