Book reviews: Wide Sargasso Sea | The Catcher in the Rye | Fahrenheit 451

Title: Wide Sargasso Sea
Author: Jean Rhys

Original title: Wide Sargasso Sea
First published: 1966
Genre: Classic, Historical, Retelling
Series: --
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Format: Paperback
Pages: 266
Finished: 12/02/2023
Summary: Prequel to "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte. Born into an oppressive, colonialist society, Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway meets a young Englishman who is drawn to her innocent sensuality and beauty, but soon after their marriage, rumors of madness in her family poison his mind against her. He forces Antoinette to conform to his rigid Victorian ideals.

My thoughts: I read this for a uni course about literary theories. Naturally, we were assigned to read this for, among others, postcolonial theory. Wide Sargasso Sea tells the story of Jane Eyre's crazy woman in the attic, Bertha. Well, in this prequel, her name is Antoinette, and Bertha is only the name Rochester forces upon her in an attempt to morph her into the wife he wants her to be. Without having completed my read of Jane Eyre, I still find this book to be a powerful companion to the famous classic. It is a highly character driven story that portrays the climate of post-slavery abolishment in early 19th century Jamaica. It shows the heteroglossia between English and Jamaican culture, coloniser and colonised, masculinity and femininity. Antoinette is a creole, white but born in the Jamaican colony, caught between cultures and accepted by neither. Rochester represents the cruel but frightened coloniser, who sweeps into Antoinette's life and is paid to marry her by her relatives. Repulsed by the life and culture he encounters in Jamaica, Rochester attempts to force Antoinette into an identity that better suits English culture. I must say, the story is extremely gloomy and it left me with grave emotions. It is also a story that moves at a slow pace, really showing how both Antoinette and Rochester are slowly driven mad by each other. Still, some parts felt slightly rushed and unmotivated, especially in the development of said characters' relationship. Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, and it's sure to influence what I think about Rochester and I eventually continue reading Jane Eyre.

Rating: 3.5/5

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Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger

Original title: The Catcher in the Rye
First published: 1951
Genre: Classic, YA
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Finished: 01/04/2023
Summary: It's Christmas time and Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from yet another school... Fleeing the crooks at Pencey Prep, he pinballs around New York City seeking solace in fleeting encounters—shooting the bull with strangers in dive hotels, wandering alone round Central Park, getting beaten up by pimps and cut down by erstwhile girlfriends. The city is beautiful and terrible, in all its neon loneliness and seedy glamour, its mingled sense of possibility and emptiness. Holden passes through it like a ghost, thinking always of his kid sister Phoebe, the only person who really understands him, and his determination to escape the phonies and find a life of true meaning.

My thoughts: Wow! I never in a million years expected to even like this novel, much less to be as blown away by it as this. Considering what I've heard about this book - that its protagonist is insufferable without any redeeming qualities - I was certain I'd hate it, too. That couldn't be further from the truth, though! The Catcher in the Rye is, to my great pleasure, a character driven book that follows Holden as he flees from yet another school he's been expelled from and tries to survive a few days alone in New York City before the day he's supposed to come home for Christmas. Really, this book is about Holden interacting with an array of different characters, both from his past and new encounters. Yes, Holden is a difficult character to root for, especially since every other character he meets seems to hate him to some degree. Everyone struggles with dealing with him. And that's no surprise, seeing as Holden is often misogynistic, selfish, and unpredictable. I see why other readers have a hard time relating to him. And yet, I found that I felt compassion for him. By no means would I defend his faults (he is often an asshole), but he is portrayed in such a vulnerable way that said faults were explained, or at least softened. Another thing I liked was the narration. It was so uniquely and expertly tailored to this kind of story. It really felt like a biography of sorts - so well adjusted was the text to the voice and personality of Holden. And the story, despite being character driven, felt exciting to read. What was going to happen next? Was he going to survive his days alone in New York? Who was he going to meet next, and would that person be the one to lose patience with him and try to kill him? It really kept me on my toes and kept me wanting to continue reading constantly. Wow, what a book. Hopefully, I'll reread it someday and like it just as much.

Rating: 5/5

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Title: Fahrenheit 451
Author: Ray Bradbury

Original title: Fahrenheit 451
First published: 1953
Genre: Classic, Dystopian
Series: --
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 190
Finished: 09/04/2023
Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.

My thoughts: I had the opportunity to read Fahrenheit 451 for a uni course about American 1950's literature. I found it quite easy and quick to read, even though I decided not to rush through it. To me, this is a book that builds more on a concept or an idea than on characters or plot. For what it is, I enjoyed it well enough. For sure, it can be thought provoking, and that's one of the novel's good sides. I also enjoyed some of the more exciting parts, where the stakes rose high. Character wise, I wasn't blown away, but neither was I particularly let down. I thought Montag was an alright vessel to observe this vision of a dystopian world through. I liked Clarisse and Faver even more, and even Mildred for what she is meant to represent. They were all interesting characters. I did get a bit annoyed with Montag at times. I thought some of his reactions to things were exaggerated, his actions were at times unmotivated, and he was often unnecessarily rude to his wife. To some extent, I understand all this, but it got to the point where I was a little bit too frustrated. The prose itself I'd call effective and sometimes beautiful, with plenty of nature metaphors that quite pleased me.

Rating: 4/5

Book Reviews: Madicken | Samuel August från Sevedstorp och Hanna i Hult | Stora Emilboken

Title: Madicken
Author: Astrid Lindgren

Original title: Madicken
First published: 1960
Genre: Classic, Children
Series: Madicken #1
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 184
Finished: 19/07/2022
Summary: In 1925, while on vacation with his family on the Yorkshire coast, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his favorite toy, a little lead dog he was reluctant to put down even to dig in the sand. To console and distract him, his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, improvised a story - the story of Rover, a real dog magically transformed into a toy, who, after many fantastic adventures in search of the wizard who wronged him, at last wins back his life. This charming tale is peopled by a wise old whale and a terrible dragon, by the king of the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon.

My thoughts: This is the first installment in Astrid Lindgren's classic series of books about a young girl named Madicken, who lives with her parents, little sister, and maid on Junibacken. Each chapter in this book is episodic, while still maintaining a clear timeline and details that keep each story connected. Lindgren portrays everyday life in this book, but does it in a way that feels joyous and celebratory. Madicken is sometimes a very frustrating character to follow, but she's also charming in her mischievousness and curious manner. To date, this, along with Lindgren's stories about Emil, is my favourite book by this beloved author.

Rating: 4.75/5

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Title: Samuel August från Sevedstorp och Hanna i Hult (Samuel August from Sevedtorps and Hanna in Hult)
Author: Astrid Lindgren

Original title: Samuel August från Sevedstorp och Hanna i Hult
First published: 1975
Genre: Non-fiction
Series: --
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 158
Finished: 21/06/2022
Summary: Astrid Lindgren retells the story of her parents' lives: "It is a tale of love that holds more love than what I've ever read about in books". She also writes of her childhood days in Småland in a world that is no more. She recalls the tales she heard in Kristin's kitchen. She writes about trees she remembers. She recounts the fate of Andrew Peterson, a peculiar Swedish pioneer in America. And her book ends the way it started, with a love story. This one is almost as beautiful and touching as the one about Samuel August in Sevedstorp and Hanna in Hult, but instead it follows Luise Mejer and Heinrich Christian Boie who lived in 18th century Germany.

My thoughts: I picked this up to initiate my summer study reading this year. I'm taking a course at half pace about Swedish children's book author Astrid Lindgren's literature. The majority of the literature is free to choose for myself, as long as it's by Lindgren. With this collection of short essays and writings, I managed to finish the first 158 of the 2500 pages I'm required to read for the course. It's a book that is not very typical for Lindgren - as I mentioned she's famous for her children's literature. However, that fact made this a very pleasant book to start off with, since it shows who Lindgren really was when she didn't write for children. She had other interests and things she held dear, like the story of her parents falling in love and her interest in historical common people's lives and fates. The sections that I enjoyed the most were the one about her parents (particularly the descriptions of the last 'traditional' farms in Sweden before industrialisation wrapped its claws around the farmer profession), the one where she recalls the books she loved as a child herself, and her recount about the Swedish farmer Andrew Peterson in Minnesota. A pleasant read that kept me curious about what she'd tell me about next.

Rating: 3,75/5

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Title: Stora Emilboken (The Big Book of Emil)
Author: Astrid Lindgren

Original title: Stora Emilboken
First published: 1963
Genre: Classic, Children, Historical
Series: Emil i Lönneberga #1-3
Publisher: Rabén & Sjögren
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 409
Finished: Summer 2022
Summary: The books about Emil of Lönneberga and his little sister Ida take place in Astrid Lindgren's Småland. Lindgren uses her father's childhood memories as inspiration for Emil's mischief and adventures. This omnibus contains the first three books about Emil: 'Emil i Lönneberga' (Emil of Lönneberga), 'Nya hyss av Emil i Lönneberga' (New Mischief by Emil of Lönneberga), and 'Än lever Emil i Lönneberga' (Yet Lives Emil of Lönneberga).

My thoughts: The books about Emil of Lönneberga are targeted at a very young audience, much like the books about Pippi Långstrump (Longstocking in the English translation). While the language is very simple, it reads as though it is not only directed at children, but at readers of any age. Not because it deals with any particularly adult issues or delivers mature jokes that fly over the heads of children. Nothing of the sort, and yet it feels worth reading even as an adult, without the purpose of introducing a child to literature. These three books brought back memories from my own childhood - of watching the movie adaptations and being scared senseless by Emil's raging but well-meaning father, Anton. The stories work together to create strong bonds between the characters and to give modern readers a glimpse of a Sweden that no longer exists, when oxen helped plow the fields and and the roads were made of only dirt and gravel. I must say, though, that I sympathise with Anton a lot more after reading the books as an adult, and that Emil makes me all the more resolute to never have children of my own.

Rating: 4,75

Book reviews: Klara and the Sun | Wonderstruck | The Time Machine

Title: Klara and the Sun

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Original title: Klara and the Sun
First published: 2021
Genre: Sci-fi
Series: --
Publisher: Faber Faber
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 307
Finished: 21/11/21
Summary: From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behaviour of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass in the street outside. She remains hopeful a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change for ever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

My thoughts: It's been such a long period of time between me reading this book in November 2021 to me writing this review in May 2022. What I remember of my opinion on this book is that I enjoyed it, but that the story had an anticlimactic ending and a writing style that never quite managed to pull me in. It was the first book I ever read by Ishiguro and despite my somewhat lukewarm feelings for Klara and the Sun in particular, I still look forward to reading more of his work, especially the books of his that are more beloved, like Never Let Me Go.

Rating: 3,25/5

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Title: Wonderstruck

Author: Brian Selznick

Original title: Wonderstruck

First published: 2011
Genre: Historical, Middle grade
Series: --
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Hardcover

Pages: 629
Finished: 17/05/2022
Summary: Ben and Rose secretly wish for better lives. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories - Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures - weave back and forth in symmetry.

My thoughts: I was lucky enough to find this in a pleasantly cluttered second hand in Morecambe on the coast of Lancashire. Having read Selznick's earlier book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which is presented in text and illustrations in the same manner as Wonderstruck, I didn't hesitate in buying it and immediately reading it. I knew it would be a quick and fun read to get me started if I wished to engage in more reading for pleasure this summer. Indeed it was a relatively fast read, for I bought it only three days ago. I'd summarize it as a fast, almost too fast, and enticing reading experience. The storytelling that is woven between Ben's text and Rose's illustrations is compelling as a format. I must argue, however, that the format needs the support of a strong story to reach its full potential. What I found with Wonderstruck was that despite finding the 400+ pages of artwork enjoyable, I was not so invested in neither Ben's nor Rose's tales. I hoped that Ben would achieve his goal, but I got no satisfaction in following his journey. With Rose, I found that the lack of textual storytelling created a gap between me and the character - a hole that was never filled. I didn't get to know her, didn't make a connection. The concept of deafness, both long-term and temporary, could have been explored at an even deeper level. I could have been prompted to feel deeper sympathy for Ben, or to share his panic even more. But I didn't, and that may in part be due to the relatively small amount of text in the novel as well as the writing style. The sentences are generally very simple and didn't invoke much emotion in me. The writing style felt flat and plain, which resulted in Ben sadly being a rather mediocre focalizer. In the end the novel achieved what I wanted it to, which was to offer a quick and interesting read to get my desire to consume literature on a roll. I appreciate the format and the artwork, but other than that this wasn't a great hit for me personally. I'd definitely recommend The Invention of Hugo Cabret over this.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: The Time Machine
Author: H.G. Wells

Original title: The Time Machine
First published: 1895
Genre: Classic, sci-fi
Series: --
Publisher: Fab Audio Books
Format: Audiobook
Time: 3h 36min
Finished: 30/04/2022
Summary: The time? 802,701 A.D. The place? An Earth stranger than you can imagine. The people? A pretty, childlike race, the Eloi-and their distant cousins, the Morlocks: disgusting, hairy creatures who live in caves and feed on the flesh of-what? Enter the Time Traveller, who has hurtled almost a million years into the future. After the Morlocks steal his machine he may be trapped there...and at their mercy.

My thoughts: The Time Machine was part of a Victorian Literature course I took this spring. I decided to consume it in audiobook format because I was running out of time to read it before the deadline and my brain was too tired to read text. Regardless of the format, I ended up really enjoying this short novel and the ideas that Wells presents in it. So much so that I wrote about its villains/monsters, the Morlocks, in an essay about the links between evil, physical ugliness, and contemporary Victorian issues. My focus while working with this novel was on class and the Victorian idea of degeneration in the lower classes of the UK. The Morlocks reflect that in that the Time Traveller imagines them to be the future evolution of the working class, whereas the beautiful but weak Eloi are a progression of the upper class. The description of the Time Traveller's panic in seeing what the future has in store for the human race was intriguing, and the way Wells presents his ideas was interesting and entertaining. I absolutely look forward to reading more or his work in the future, and will recommend this novel to anyone who has an interest in sci-fi and classics.

Rating: 4/5

Book reviews: Translations | Semiosis | Persuasion

Title: Translations

Author: Brian Friel

Original title: Translations
First published: 1981
Genre: Play, Historical
Series: --
Publisher: Faber Faber
Format: Paperback
Pages: 91
Finished: 20/10/2021
Summary: The time and place is late August 1833 at a hedge-school in the townland of Baile Beag - an Irish speaking community in County Donegal. The 'scholars' are a cross-section of the local community, from a semi-literate young farmer to and elderly polygot autodidact who reads and quotes Homer in the orginal.In a nearby field camps a recently arrived detachment of the Royal Engineers, engaged on behalf of the Britsh Army and Government in making the first Ordnance Survey. For the purposes of cartography, the local Gaelic place names have to be recorded and transliterated - or translated - into English, in examining the effects of this operation on the lives of a small group of people, Irish and English, Brian Friel skillfully reveals the unexperctedly far-reaching personal and cultural effects of an action which is at first sight purely administrative and harmless. 

My thoughts: This was a short play that I was asked to read for a university course about sociolinguistics this semester. It was indeed a very fitting play for the course, as it portrays domains and varieties well, and also gives some good examples of codeswitching (bet I won't know for sure what these terms mean in a year, or even six months from now.... I barely know what they mean right now lol). Anyway, disregarding the connections this had to my studies, I did find it to be a decent play and I did get fairly emotionally invested. I cared for Manus and felt that his relationship to both his father and brother were realistic and engaging. It was interesting to see the colonization of Ireland by Britain from this perspective and presented in this way. I wish I could see the play someday. In the end, though, reading play scripts is not my preferred cup of tea, and Translations did not really change that. I enjoyed it a fair bit, but I can see myself forgetting all about it pretty soon.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: Semiosis

Author: Sue Burke

Original title: Semiosis
First published: 2018
Genre: Sci-fi, Adult
Series: Semiosis #1
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Format: Paperback
Pages: 325
Finished: 13/08/2012
Summary: Only mutual communication can forge an alliance with the planet's sentient species and prove that mammals are more than tools. Forced to land on a planet they aren't prepared for, human colonists rely on their limited resources to survive. The planet provides a lush but inexplicable landscape--trees offer edible, addictive fruit one day and poison the next, while the ruins of an alien race are found entwined in the roots of a strange plant. Conflicts between generations arise as they struggle to understand one another and grapple with an unknowable alien intellect. 

My thoughts: Semiosis was a great novel to end the sci-fi summer course with, as it turned out to be one of my favourites from the reading list. I think it's up there with Solaris and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. In fact, I think I liked this most of all. If I had to pitch this novel to someone, I'd describe it as Spore fanfiction written really well. For real. Following the humans on Pax as they evolve and expand their civilization over the course of many generations was fascinating and I would love to read more about their story. Splitting the novel into several perspectives was a choice well made, as I would probably have been bored following only one character from one generation. With a timeline that encompasses 107 years of history, getting bored was never a problem. Furthermore, Burke's depictions of non-human sentient beings was clever and creative, more so because she describes several such beings which are severely different from each other. An intelligent rainbow bamboo? Giant insect-like creatures, descendants of an ancient advanced civilization? More of this, please! It has been especially engaging to write my final essay for the course about this book and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, in which I explore the causes of human conflict upon encounters with foreign environments and non-human beings. I recommend this novel to anyone who wishes to ease themselves into the sci-fi genre without being bombarded with scientific terms, confusing descriptions posing as world building, or too gloomy characters. This novel will entertain you, fascinate you, and have your imagination running wild.

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen

Original title: Persuasion
First published: 1817
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 279
Finished: 06/08/2021
Summary: Twenty-seven-year old Anne Elliot is Austen's most adult heroine. Eight years before the story proper begins, she is happily betrothed to a naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, but she precipitously breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. When later Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain, he finds Anne's family on the brink of financial ruin and his own sister a tenant in Kellynch Hall, the Elliot estate.

My thoughts: Slowly but surely, I work my way through all of Jane Austen's delightful novels. This is the fourth book of hers that I have the pleasure of reading, and it did not disappoint. Persuasion is written in the same elegant prose which Austen never fails to deliver. Her every word is carefully selected, her dialogues thoughtful, and her characters captivating. Anne develops so much in this novel, going from repressed and shy in her character to blossoming and revealing her true traits. It was a joy to follow her unravelling, and no less a pleasure to read of her love for Wentworth.

I am learning of the typical traits of Austen's novels, and it saddens me a bit that they all seem to follow the same patterns. Unlikely romances, class differences, men of deceptive appearance, and love triangles to create drama and suspense. However, as I like to say, why change a successful concept? Austen obviously masters her tropes well and can execute them like no other. Though this, to me, did not live up to the level of Pride and Prejudice, I still liked it a lot and will recommend it with warmth.

Rating: 4/5

Book reviews: Emma | Macbeth | Frankenstein

Title: Emma
Author: Jane Austen

Original title: Emma
First published: 1815
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Repris
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 578
Finished: 02/02/2021
Summary: Emma Woodhouse is the lovely, lively, willful, and fallible heroine of Jane Austen's fourth published novel. Confident that she knows best, Emma schemes to find a suitable husband for her pliant friend Harriet, only to discover that she understands the feelings of others as little as she does her own heart. Emma puzzles and blunders her way through the mysteries of her social world in a small town undergoing historical transition.

My thoughts: After thoroughly enjoying Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" last summer, I was eager to discover more of her works. I picked up "Emma" next, both because I already had it at home and because I soon wish to see the new movie adaptation. While I did enjoy "Emma", it did not charm me in the same way that Elizabeth Bennett's story managed to. This book seemed to drag out quite a bit and did not need to be over 500 pages long, in my humble opinion. Much focus was put on more or less annoying side characters, which I could have gone without, and the romance that I had to wait so long for was sort of sweet, but not as satisfying as I'd hoped. Some heart-warming relationships were explored, such as between Emma, her father, and her once governess. I will continue to seek out Austen's works, and the flaws I found in "Emma" will only be remembered as trivial as I'm sure I'll enjoy her next book very much.

Rating: 3,5/5

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Title: Macbeth
Author: William Shakespeare

Original title: Macbeth
First published: 1606
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Longman
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Finished: 13/04/2021
Summary: One night on the heath, the brave and respected general Macbeth encounters three witches who foretell that he will become king of Scotland. At first sceptical, he’s urged on by the ruthless, single-minded ambitions of Lady Macbeth, who suffers none of her husband’s doubt. But seeing the prophecy through to the bloody end leads them both spiralling into paranoia, tyranny, madness, and murder.

My thoughts: This play evoked very few and lukewarm emotions in me. Indeed it is a classic tale and one of Shakespeare's most well known tragedies, and the story truly holds historical and cultural value. However, it was not quite to my tastes and I will not remember it as a particularly pleasant or exciting read. The edition I read was helpful, with its added definitions of difficult words and explanations of what happens on each page.

Rating: 2,5/5

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Title: Frankenstein
Author: Mary Shelley

Original title: Frankenstein
First published: 1818
Genre: Classic, Sci-fi
Series: --
Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 116
Finished: 18/06/2021
Summary: Obsessed with creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life with electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear.

My thoughts: Seeing "Frankenstein" on the reading list as the first book to tackle in the sci-fi literature course I'm taking this summer, I was a bit surprised. I had never perceived this classic horror novel to also be a work of science fiction. With this perspective in mind, it was a very interesting reading experience and I was able to connect elements of this story to modern books in the same genre. However, while I definitely found myself intrigued by these elements, I was underwhelmed by other sides of the story. The narrative had a tendency to drag on and the eerie atmosphere that I had hoped to encounter was nowhere to be found. I understand this story was terrifying and uncanny when it was first published, but to someone who has seen or read modern horror stories, the tale of Frankenstein and his monster just can't compare. While the writing style was somewhat elegant and enticing, it couldn't make up for the boring whining of both Frankenstein and the creature. All in all, I'm glad to have read this novel and it really is interesting to see it as a work of science fiction, though it is not a book I think I'll ever feel the desire to re-read.

PS: I don't recommend this specific edition. The pages are rather large and the text is, regrettably, very small. What's usually nearly 300 pages has been compressed to a meagre 116 pages :(

Rating: 3/5

Book reviews: Things Fall Apart | Disgrace | Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Title: Things Fall Apart

Author: Chinua Achebe
Original title: Things Fall Apart
First published: 1958
Genre: Classic, Historical
Series: The African Trilogy #1
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 152
Finished: 27/08/2020
Summary: Okonkwo is the greatest warrior alive. His fame has spread like a bushfire in West Africa and he is one of the most powerful men of his clan. But he also has a fiery temper. Determined not to be like his father, he refuses to show weakness to anyone - even if the only way he can master his feelings is with his fists. When outsiders threaten the traditions of his clan, Okonkwo takes violent action. Will the great man's dangerous pride eventually destroy him?

My thoughts: This was the first novel that I got to read for the English literature course that was part of my university studies this fall. Out of the five I read for the course, this was one of my two favourites. "Things Fall Apart" follows a character that I both cared for and still frustrated me at times; a combo that is typically good. Okonkwo is incredibly conservative and strongly believes in the values and ways of his clan and its religion. He has very set ideas of what is masculine and does whatever he can to reach his own standards, as well as encourage his eldest son to follow his footsteps. However, despite his successes in early life, Okonkwo lives to face brutal failures and disappointments. One thing that I admired about his character was his persistence to endure the consequences of his actions and resist the changes his community faces when encountering Christian missionaries and colonizers. Achebe skilfully contrasts many aspects of the story; feminine and masculine, strong and weak, Okonkwo's tribe and the colonizers. There is no clear good or bad side. The language used is smooth and simple, but Achebe manages to use English, the language of the colonizer, while also weaving words from Okonkwo's language into the text, creating an accessible piece of literature without abandoning what the story is really about.

I had not read anything similar to this before and I learnt a lot. I'm glad this novel was part of our reading plan in uni, and I will try to continue reading this trilogy in 2021.

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Disgrace
Author: J.M. Coetzee
Original title: Disgrace
First published: 1999
Genre: Literary fiction, Contemporary
Series: --
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 220
Finished: 13/10/2020
Summary: A divorced, middle-aged English professor finds himself increasingly unable to resist affairs with his female students. When discovered by the college authorities, he is expected to apologise and repent in an effort to save his job, but he refuses to become a scapegoat in what he see as as a show trial designed to reinforce a stringent political correctness.

He preempts the authorities and leaves his job, and the city, to spend time with his grown-up lesbian daughter on her remote farm. Things between them are strained - there is much from the past they need to reconcile - and the situation becomes critical when they are the victims of a brutal and horrifying attack.

My thoughts: Another novel from the English literature course that was part of my fall semester at university. Sadly, I did not enjoy this one very much at all. Let's just say that I could not stand David (the protagonist) and the story did not appeal to me. David was snarky and self-centred in a way that was not charming in the least and he did not change. In fact, he kept insisting throughout the novel that he was too old to change, and therefore would make no effort. Despite his misfortunes, I never felt sorry for him and I feel like he kind of got what he deserved. However, neither did I celebrate his misfortunes, because they also affected other characters negatively, and they did not deserve it at all. So did the story incite emotions in me? Yes, but as with other books that sit wrong with me, these feelings added nothing positive to the reading experience. I would not recommend "Disgrace" and I hope to forget it soon.

Rating: 2,75/5

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Title: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Author: Jeanette Winterson

Original title: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

First published: 1985
Genre: Classic, Contemporary
Series: --
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Finished: 24/11/2020
Summary: Jeanette has issues--"unnatural" ones: her adopted mam thinks she's the Chosen one from God; she's beginning to fancy girls; and an orange demon keeps popping into her psyche. Brought up in a working-class Pentecostal family, up North, Jeanette follows the path her Mam has set for her. This involves Bible quizzes, a stint as a tambourine-playing Sally Army officer and a future as a missionary in Africa, or some other "heathen state". When Jeanette starts going to school and confides in her mother about her feelings for another girl, she's swept up in a feverish frenzy for her tainted soul. Confused, angry and alone, Jeanette strikes out on her own path, that involves a funeral parlour and an ice-cream van. 

My thoughts: Quite a charming novel that I had the pleasure to read for the English literature course at university this fall semester. This novel, while dealing with heavy topics in a time period when they were much more taboo than they are today, manages to keep a light-hearted and humorous atmosphere. Jeanette was a marvellous character to follow, both for her story and her wit. Clearly, this was my favourite out of the five literary works I got to read for university this semester.

Rating: 4,25/5

15 Classics in 2021

 Hello there again! It's been a while since you heard from me last, but rest assured that I'm doing alright. I started my university studies in September this year and have since then not taken a lot of time to read in my free time. However, I think I've gotten used enough to my studies that I can pick up reading again next year, and I've also read some fiction for a course in English literature.

That being said, I've been thinking about what I want to focus on reading-wise in 2021, and I've reached the conclusion that I really want to dive into more classics. It's been an ambition I've had for some years now, but I've never really grabbed the bull by the horns, so to say. Furthermore, I recently watched a video by lucythereader on YouTube where a reading challenge for 2021 was presented. The idea is to read 1 classic every month of the year. That makes 12 classics, but since I like to set goals in 10's or 5's, I've decided to be optimistic and raise the goal to 15. Following, you'll see the list of the 15 books that I, at the moment, plan to devour in 2021 (from least to most pages):

1

"No Longer at Ease" by Chinua Achebe

This is the second book in a trilogy that was written

in the mid 20th century. The first book, "Things Fall

Apart", was written as a response to the classic novel

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad ca 50 years

earlier. I had the pleasure to read the first novel for

a course in English literature this fall and I'd very

much like to continue on with the series.

2

"Anne Franks dagbok" by Anne Frank

This will probably be one of my heaviest reads

this upcoming year, despite it being the third to

shortest novel I plan to read. It's about time I

picked this up.

3

"The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Another 20th century classic, and one that I already

own. This is a very well known classic that I've heard

many good things about. I'm definitely intrigued and

I hope for it to be a deep dive into mental health.

4

"A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf

One of my sub-goals for 2021 is to read more

classics written by women, for the simple reason

that most classics I've read have been written by

men. Male authors have been grossly overrepresented

in classic literature, but there seem to be plenty of

female authors that I'm just now discovering. Of

course, I'm highly looking forward to my first read

of Woolf's literature.

5

"Augustus" by John Williams

I'm beyond excited to be picking up another

novel by the brilliant author of "Stoner", which

is one of my favourite novels of all time and

the book that made me more interested in

contemporary classics. This is a book that is set

in the Roman Empire and follows the events

after Julius Caesar's death. It's said to be

marvellously written historical fiction and I've

no doubts I'll enjoy it.

6

"I, Claudius" by Robert Graves

This seems to be very similar to "Augustus"

by John Williams, and I don't mind that. I'm

simply stoked to finally read both of these

historical fiction novels that have been acclaimed

to be some of the best of their genre. Hoping for

a lot of exciting politics.

7

"Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov

A classic that people seem to either hate

or love. I'm aware there will be topics in this

novel that will unsettle me, perhaps greatly

so, but I'm determined to form my own opinion.

What's more, the cover is gorgeous.

8

"Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

A late and unexpected addition to my course

literature for the spring semester. Regardless,

I've been curious about this book and I think

I'll enjoy it.

9

"Sagan om Ringen" by J.R.R. Tolkien

I've been a big fan of the movies since my

childhood and I've read "The Hobbit". However,

this series remains unread on my shelves. I

intend to tackle at least the first of the three novels

in 2021, but I'll skip ahead to the part with Tom

Bombadil since I've already listened to the first

part on audiobook ;)

10

"Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Another classic I'll encounter in the English

literature course I'll take in 2021. I don't actually

have very great expectations (see what I did there?)

for this book, but I'm ready to be proven wrong.

Obviously, it's a cherished book by many.

11

"Noveller" by Tove Jansson

This is a collection of short stories by the

beloved author of the famous Moomin

stories. These novellas, however, are unrelated

to Moomin and are targeted to a more adult

audience. Jansson is a queer icon and I look

forward to reading more of her writing.

12

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

This must be one of the most well-known

classics out there, at least amongst European

literary classics. It's only a plus that it's also

written by a female author. Though I've heard 

this might be a heavy novel to get through, I feel

ready to acquaintance myself with one of the

renowned Brontë sisters.

13

"Emma" by Jane Austen

I know for a fact that I'll be re-reading "Pride

and Prejudice" by Austen for the English

literature course next spring, but I want to

pick up something else by Austen as well in

2021. I've heard that this is a fun and light-hearted

read and that the new movie was great.

14

"Brott och straff" by Fjodor Dostojevskij

This Swedish translation of "Crime and

Punishment" (of course the original text is

in Russian) is going to be a real challenge to

get through. We'll see if I ever get around to it,

but my ambition is real! I've heard it's well

worth the struggle.

15

"Middlemarch" by George Eliot

George Eliot was a pseudonym for female

author Mary Ann Evans, who wrote several

Victorian era classics. The reason I've

decided to pick this up is because one of my

favourite professors this term, Mats, tragically

passed away recently. I was devastated by the

news, and I still am. I took the liberty to look

him up on Facebook in hopes of finding more news

on his passing, and discovered that he was

member of a George Eliot literature group. In

an attempt to keep Mats in my memory, I'll try

to get through this behemoth of a novel. Rest

well, Mats.

So there you have it. I'll be extremely proud of myself if I manage to get through all of these classics in 2021, and I'll try to make them a priority on my reading list. I'm especially pleased to have 8 female authors featured on this list! Overall, I'm super excited to become more educated in classic literature.

Have you read any of these? Are you curious about any of them? Which would you want for me to read first? I'd be delighted to hear your opinions. In the meantime, read on and stay safe.