Book reviews: Convenience Store Woman | The Stranger | Heart of Darkness

Title: Convenience Store Woman
Author: Sayaka Murata
Original title: コンビニ人間
First published: 2016
Genre: Contemporary, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Granta
Format: Paperback
Pages: 163
Finished: 21/07/2020
Summary: Keiko has never really fitted in. At school and university people find her odd and her family worries she'll never be normal. To appease them, Keiko takes a job at a newly opened convenience store. Here, she finds peace and purpose in the simple, daily tasks and routine interactions. She is, she comes to understand, happiest as a convienience store worker. But in Keiko's social circle it just won't do for an unmarried woman to spend all her time stacking shelves and re-ordering green tea.

My thoughts: I read this for the 2020 Reading Rush, for the challenge to read a book set in another continent than the one you live on. I live in Europe and this is set in Japan in Asia.
I liked this book, though it won't leave a long lasting impression. Some books are like that. Keiko is a rather passive protagonist whose perspective at times seemed bizarre. I like that she's gone her own way in life, and I could sometimes see myself in her, though we are very different in most aspects. The male character she at a point gets involved with is infuriatingly annoying and rude, but in an almost comical way. Overall it's a fairly pleasant and quick read with a definitely unique atmosphere and narrative.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: The Stranger
Author: Albert Camus
Original title: L'Étranger
First published: 1942
Genre: Philosophy, Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 117
Finished: 23/07/2020
Summary: Meursault will not pretend. After the death of his mother, everyone is shocked when he shows no sadness. And when he commits a random act of violence in Algiers, society is baffled. Why would this seemingly law-abiding bachelor do such a thing? And why does he show no remorse even when it could save his life? His refusal to satisfy the feelings of others only increases his guilt in the eyes of the law. Soon Meursault discovers that he is being tried not simply for his crime, but for his lack of emotion - a reaction that condemns him for being an outsider.

My thoughts: I read this one for the 2020 Reading Rush challenge to read a book with a title that starts with the word "the".
This was my type of book! There was something about the simple, yet graceful and almost calming way it was written that struck something in me. The story itself is a fascinating one, and the perspective from which it is told is equally interesting. I ended up really liking and rooting for Meursault, despite his crimes and obvious lack of remorse. I couldn't help it! The story was simply that well written and brought to light important questions of how we judge a person and what punishment we give criminals. Meursault is not just judged for his crime; he is judge doubly for his inability to feel sadness, loss, or regret. Is the crime made more horrible if the criminal shows no regret, or should it be judged all the same?
If you enjoy other modern classics like "Stoner" by John Williams or "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, I strongly recommend you check this one out as well. It exceeded my expectations with splendour! 

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: Heart of Darkness
Author: Joseph Conrad
Narrator: David Horovitch
Original title: Heart of Darkness
First published: 1899
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Naxos
Format: Audiobook
Time: 4h 38min
Finished: 23/07/2020
Summary: Newly-employed in an ivory trading company, Marlow travels down-river into the depths of the African jungle. As he goes, he witnesses the shocking subjection of the natives, and his faith in the imperialist mission weakens. The enigmatic chief of the trading camp Kurtz becomes the focus of this ambivalence. Reports of rapacious and violent deeds seemingly contradict his reputation as an idealistic and admirable leader, and the suspense mounts in the lead up to the appearance of this shifting, unknowable figure.

My thoughts: This one I read for the 2020 Reading Rush challenge to read a book completely outside my home.
Not much to say. Maybe the format of audio wasn't to this book's advantage. Though the narrator did an admirable job with the voices and such, I didn't ever become really interested in the story. Or in anything. The writing doesn't strike me as bad, but it's not the best. There are too many long metaphors and similes that lead close to nowhere, and without them the story would've shortened in length. I was a bit interested to see how the ivory industry would be described, but it was only mentioned offhandedly on one or two occasions. The author describes the black population residing near the Congo river in a cruel and abhorrent fashion, using amongst others the word 'savages' to refer to them. While he was certainly a person with views from his time, I was no less appalled. The characters overall had no positive impact on me whatsoever, although I was obviously supposed to react very strongly to every 'horror' that Marlow encountered on his trip to Africa. Yes, the writing could be good at times, and I really admire the commitment the narrator showed in the audiobook. Nevertheless, I'm bound to forget about this book soon.

Rating: 2/5

Book Reviews: Siddharta | The Copper Gauntlet | The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Title: Siddharta

Author: Hermann Hesse
Original title: Siddharta
First published: 1922
Genre: Classic, Philosophy
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 116
Finished: 26/07/2019
Summary: Siddhartha, a handsome Brahmin's son, is clever and well loved, yet increasingly dissatisfied with the life that is expected of him. Setting out on a spiritual journey to discover a higher state of being, his quest leads him through the temptations of luxury and wealth, the pleasures of sensual love, and the sinister threat of death-dealing snakes, until, eventually, he comes to a river. There a ferryman guides him towards his destiny, and to the ultimate meaning of existence.

My thoughts: My fifth read for "The Reading Rush" 2019! This one was read for the challenge "read a book with purple on the cover"; a challenge that proved difficult to fulfil! It seems that not many of my slimmer books have something purple on the cover, so I was lucky to discover that "Siddharta" delivered in my time of need ;)
Unfortunately, I didn’t find this book to be anything but boring. It is a work of philosophy, and it was easy to read and understand, but it offered me no new wisdom or view on life. Basically, it’s a repetition of “money can’t buy happiness” and a small bunch of other lifestyle ideals. The characters were boring, and I really didn’t care for Siddhartha going out into the world and finding himself and the right path of life. Overall, this book scores a low rating because it gave me nothing at all, without being inherently bad.

Rating: 2/5

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Title: The Copper Gauntlet
Author: Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Original title: The Copper Gauntlet
First published: 2015
Genre: Middle-grade, Fantasy
Series: Magisterium #2
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Hardback
Pages: 264
Finished: 27/07/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! Callum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall. It’s not easy for Call . . . and it gets even harder after he checks out his basement and discovers that his dad might be trying to destroy both him and Havoc. Call escapes to the Magisterium -- but things only intensify there. The Alkahest -- a copper gauntlet capable of separating certain magicians from their magic -- has been stolen. And in their search to discover the culprit, Call and his friends Aaron and Tamara awaken the attention of some very dangerous foes -- and get closer to an even more dangerous truth.

My thoughts: Behold: my sixth read for the 2019 Reading Rush! This was read for the challenge "read a book you meant to read last year".
This series is still a lot like Harry Potter. The similarities are just too many to go unnoticed. However, seeing as I read and loved “Carry On” by Rainbow Rowell, which also shares a glaring amount of similarities with Harry Potter, I guess I cannot fault this series for doing the same. And honestly? It’s a very decent middle grade fantasy series. As far as these first two books go, I’m enjoying them a lot and as the world and story unfolds, I am compelled to read more and more. We follow a worried and cynical protagonist with a character depth that I like, and I’d say almost all the characters are well developed and described so far in the series. I’m also starting to see how much parts of the series are similar to Cassandra Clare’s other works, though I can’t say the same about Holly Black with certainty, since I’ve only ever read one book by her.
All in all, a solid, suspenseful, exciting read!

Rating: 4/5

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Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Author: Stephen Chbosky
Original title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
First published: 1999
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Series: --
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Paperback
Pages: 231
Finished: 28/07/2019
Summary: This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that the perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

My thoughts: My seventh and final read for the 2019 Reading Rush, thus completing the last two challenges on my list; "read a book with five or more words in the title" (this has 6) and "read seven books" WHICH I HAVE NOW DONE OMG. I am officially the best ever (for a minimum of 2 minutes).
This is a very special book. Did I cry? Yes. I don’t think I will say more than that.

Rating: 4,75/5

Book reviews: Animal Farm | The DUFF | Liftarens guide till galaxen

Title: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Original title: Animal Farm
First published: 1945
Genre: Classic, Dystopian
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 95
Finished: 23/07/2019
Summary: A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality. Thus the stage is set for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned –a razor-edged fairy tale for grown-ups that records the evolution from revolution against tyranny to a totalitarianism just as terrible.

My thoughts: My second read for this year's Reading Rush! "Animal Farm" was read to complete the challenge "read a book with a non-human main character".
Wow! A really good story for its length (95 pages). It manages to fit a surprising amount of character depth, political satire, and storyline into a short tale about animals on a farm. I’d love to reread it sometime at a slower pace, and maybe attempt to write an analysis on it, just to really get into the morals and ideas of the piece. For now, I don’t have a lot more to say.

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend
Author: Kody Keplinger
Original title: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend
First published: 2010
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Series: --
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 277
Finished: 24/07/2019
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff," she throws her Coke in his face.  But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.  Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. And eventually, through this realization, Bianca begins to see how harmful her unhealthy way of dealing with her problems has been, and finds a way to confront them head on.

My thoughts: This is the third book I read for this year's Reading Rush! "The DUFF" was read to complete the challenge "read and watch a book to movie adaption".
Also, lo and behold, this is the 222nd book on my "read" list!

This is a book that receives a (to me) low rating not because it is exceedingly bad, but because it was exceedingly not good. I just can’t think of anything that I particularly liked about it. On the bright side, I didn’t struggle with reading it, which means it wasn’t horrible. I’d compare it to unsalted pasta, perhaps a bit overcooked. Sure, I can eat it, and in the right mindset I won’t outright disapprove of it, but I certainly won’t savour it like actual good pasta.
The character did have different personalities, but none of them really stuck with me, and I was hardly rooting for someone. The storyline was basic af; idk how many times I’ve seen this exact plot in a low budget American high school movie. The not-super-girly girl and the school’s hottest and rudest guy fall for each other and everybody’s minds are blown… not. I can honestly see how this novel tries to twist the cliché tale, but the added elements that hope to achieve this just aren’t enough or miss the mark. I have a hard time appreciating the effort, since coming up with something a little more original would have been a lot more admirable. In the end, I’ve had too much good pasta to like “The DUFF”. Sorry.
(Oh, and the movie seems so different from the book? Why did they change so much about the plot? If possible, they made it more like the cliché story than the book already was.)

Rating: 2,75/5

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Title: Liftarens guide till galaxen
Author: Douglas Adams
Original title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
First published: 1979
Genre: Sci-fi
Series: Liftarens guide till galaxen #1
Publisher: Månpocket
Format: Paperback
Pages: 168
Finished: 26/07/2019
Summary: Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox—the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

My thoughts: My fourth read for this year's Reading Rush (AND my fortieth read this year)! This one was read to complete the challenge "read a book in the same spot the entire time". I had some business outside my house the day I read this, so I had to squeeze it into my schedule before and after daily activities. I didn't manage to finish it the day I intended, but luckily I had it finished the day after before noon.

The concept of “random is funny” has seen many failures, but also a few successes. I believe this book is one of those few. At first, I was somewhat put off by the seemingly incoherent plot, but as I continued reading, I found logic and pattern in the madness as the pieces slowly started to come together and become understandable. I was definitely able to appreciate the book’s humour, and I laughed out loud at several points while reading. It would surely seem that in the case of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, random is funny.
My main complaints about the book are that it took me slightly too long to get into it, that I didn’t really find the plot exciting (though it was entertaining still), and that the text was too small for my liking. Other than that, I liked it! I am very likely to continue reading the series (since I have the whole thing in this bind-up edition).

Rating: 3,5/5

Book reviews: The Near Witch | Så talade Zarathustra | Red Queen

Title: The Near Witch
Author: Victoria Schwab
Original title: The Near Witch

First published: 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: --
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 282
Finished: 31/03/2019
Summary: The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

My thoughts: This is Victoria Schwab’s debut novel; since then she’s written masterpieces like Vicious and A Darker Shade of Magic. “The Near Witch” really shows how much Schwab has developed as an author. While this book isn’t bad, it did lack some things when it came to the characters; I never connected to anyone, didn’t care about what happened to them, and the relationships didn’t convince me. This led me to not enjoying this as much as I’d hoped for, but I’m still really glad that I read it.

It should be said that when I found this, in first edition, in a secondhand store in Lund, I was almost moved to tears. That’s how happy I was. One of my best finds and bargains ever, in terms of books.

Rating: 3/5 

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Title: Så talade Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
Author: Friedrich Nietzsche
Original title: Also sprach Zarathustra
First published: 1883-1885
Genre: Philosophy, fiction
Series: --
Publisher: Symposion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 317
Finished: 08/04/2019
Summary: Nietzsche was one of the most revolutionary and subversive thinkers in Western philosophy, and Thus Spoke Zarathustraremains his most famous and influential work. It describes how the ancient Persian prophet Zarathustra descends from his solitude in the mountains to tell the world that God is dead and that the Superman, the human embodiment of divinity, is his successor. Nietzsche's utterance 'God is dead', his insistence that the meaning of life is to be found in purely human terms, and his doctrine of the Superman and the will to power were all later seized upon and unrecognisably twisted by, among others, Nazi intellectuals. With blazing intensity and poetic brilliance, Nietzsche argues that the meaning of existence is not to be found in religious pieties or meek submission to authority, but in an all-powerful life force: passionate, chaotic and free.

My thoughts: I read this book for philosophy 2. I’d never laid my hands on a Nietzsche work before, so I thought now was the perfect time. From hearing about his works earlier, I’d gotten the impression that this book would be a challenge. Was I going to understand anything? Would I even be able to read the entire thing, with its tiny text and 300+ pages?
In the end, I finished the book after more than two months of reading, but understood very little of it. I think I’ll appreciate it more if I read some essays to help me understand what Nietzsche is trying to convey. Though, I did understand that Zarathustra, the main character, dislikes women, priests, religion, Jews, Romans and people in general. On the other hand, he enjoys caves and complaining, and has a love for being dramatic.
My overall thought it that reading this book was very interesting, and it’s cool to be able to say I’ve read something by Nietzsche. While it was a long and slightly painful experience, I somehow enjoyed the dramatic narrative and Zarathustra’s whiny personality.

Rating: 2/5

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Title: Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Original title: Red Queen
First published: 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, YA
Series: Red Queen #1
Publisher: Orion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 383
Finished: 21/04/2019
Summary: The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

My thoughts: Somebody told me this was supposed to be some good shit, so I read it. To be honest with you, I went in with hesitant expectations. I remember when this book first came out; it was hyped to the brink of starting a new religion (or so it seemed on the YouTubers I was watching at the time), but the reviews that came out of it were mixed. Some said it was amazing, perhaps the best book of 2015. Others said they'd expected more, that it was over hyped but bland in an ocean of similar young adult fiction. Keeping that in mind, and being someone who backs off in the presence of hype, I didn't have sky high expectations going into this. So, what side did I end up on; the praisers or the shruggers?
After finishing “Red Queen”, I unfortunately have to admit that I belong to the group that weren’t very impressed with the novel. But hear me out; I do believe I have some valid points, and I’m not about to throw this book in a muddy puddle and let it rot.

There are several good aspects of “Red Queen”, some of which I think strongly contributed to its success. One is that it’s a mix of fantasy and dystopia, two genres that have been massively popular the past 10+ years. Along with that, super powers are another popular aspect to modern time fiction, as we can clearly see in the success of Marvel productions. “Red Queen” manages to mix elements of both “The Hunger Games” and the Marvel franchise, creating something that is tailored to modern tastes. Furthermore, this results in an idea and world that are definitely cool and worth exploring. I’ll also admit that the plot, along with the world, has potential to develop into something promising. With these words, I’ll leave the praising part of this review in favour of criticism.

Despite the potential of the premise, “Red Queen” did not, in my personal opinion, live up to even half of the hype. I say this with regret; of course I want to love it. I even started out by consciously ignoring the flaws I saw with the novel at least 100 pages in, but when it continued to produce flaws, both new and similar, throughout the whole book, I found it hard to overlook them. Even when I did overlook them, there was little else for me to actually enjoy about this book. If you like this novel and feel insulted by my review, you are welcome to stop reading here, as I start my list of complaints (consisting of two major faults). I will try to keep myself short.

1: The storytelling. First of all, the author seemed to have a hard time showing rather than telling. Instead of describing what the main character felt in a discreet but understandable way (such as “I clenched my fist around the fork handle, glaring at my plate in barely upheld silence” to signal anger, would instead be “I was fuming with anger and therefore tried to stay silent so I wouldn’t say anything rude”). With such a hyped book, discovering this as a common fault throughout the book makes the author seem unprofessional. Secondly, the exposition was poorly executed. Once again, exposition is something that should be unravelled in a careful, natural way in the storytelling, rather than being dumped on the reader all at once in a clumsy manner. I found that this graceless exposition could have been made so much better than it was. Thirdly, the plot was rushed where it shouldn’t have been. In exciting and important scenes, the reader should get a good description of the events that led there, and in no way should details that could enrich the atmosphere be left out. What I mean by this is that a lot of exciting plot points in this novel were weakened by rushing through them. Thus, where it could have turned epic, to me, it often fell flat. My last complaint with the storytelling is that the characters were poorly built; not in that they weren’t individuals, but that I as a reader didn’t get to see them enough in the plot to bond with them, and therefore I only cared for what happened to less than a handful of characters.

2: The protagonist. Her name is Mare, but I’ve met her a dozen times before in other young adult fantasy novels, written by other authors. To me, Mare didn’t in any particular way stand out in the crowd of female protagonists that dominate the YA category, and thus I had a hard time bonding with her and caring for what happened to her. It goes without saying that the bland and generic female protagonist that is so common is not to my tastes. Furthermore (this part contains spoilers, so mark the white text if you wish to proceed): the way Mare’s emotions shifted back and forth for Cal had me feeling that the romance was very plastic. I believe the author wanted me, as a reader, to root for Mare to end up with one of the brothers, and while Cal was probably my favourite character, I never really wanted him to end up with Mare. When she first fell for Cal, it came out of nowhere and had not at all been built up to properly. She then did several 180’s with her feelings for him, all of which seemed more and more dis-believable. In the end, I would rather have seen Mare die so that we could follow Cal as a protagonist instead, seeing as he was by far the most compassionate and interesting character (he even had a touch of a personality).

That concludes my review. Love it or hate it, that’s up to you. I am willing to give this series another go and read the second book. Like I said, I didn’t dislike everything about this book. It had its good parts and it still has potential.

Rating: 3/5