Wow, finished this weapon of a book! And I mean that. This book could be used as a weapon. 1,000+ pages, being hit with this would HURT!
This is anotheWow, finished this weapon of a book! And I mean that. This book could be used as a weapon. 1,000+ pages, being hit with this would HURT!
This is another book on the reading list of my university course. And it's a big one! I have conflicting feelings, as parts of this was great and really engaging, but I felt the complete opposite about other sections. I really enjoyed the array of characters and the dynamics between our central figures, but there were large swathes where I didn't feel invested, and it felt like their were no stakes, because the different plot lines seem so distant from each other.
I also watched the BBC adaptation, which I highly recommend! Some fantastic acting....more
Thoroughly enjoyed this seminal text! Whilst I was not surprised by the smooth and effective writing style, I was pleasantly taken aback by the dry huThoroughly enjoyed this seminal text! Whilst I was not surprised by the smooth and effective writing style, I was pleasantly taken aback by the dry humour and how amusing I found the story.
It is dominated by sharp dialogue infused with subtext, with a wide variety of characters. The titular character, Emma, whilst at times not the most likeable, is always interesting to follow, with her intellect and confidence forming one of my favourite parts of the book, that being how the majority of the time she finds a way to take control of the situation....more
Watched the recent adaptation and instantly felt the need to read this short book driven by the themes of friendship, and identity, as well as both hoWatched the recent adaptation and instantly felt the need to read this short book driven by the themes of friendship, and identity, as well as both how different we are as adults, but also the parallels that are so similar from who we were as teenagers.
This was a great read that I think will feel relatable to almost all. These themes are so prevalent throughout most peoples lives, and this was written so beautifully, with friendships displayed in a natural and organic way....more
I throughly enjoyed Orlando, also written by Virginis Woolf, so I went in with high hopes when I started To the Lighthouse. I read the opening few pagI throughly enjoyed Orlando, also written by Virginis Woolf, so I went in with high hopes when I started To the Lighthouse. I read the opening few pages a few years ago, but that was under an examination, so it does not quite count!
To the Lighthouse is an accessible read that is easy to fly through, as Virginia Woolf has wonderful, smooth prose, but at the same time has great depth and engages with themes such as power, duty, the mortality of humanity, and more. A philosophical, engaging read that gives you a story essentially about a large family going to the holiday retreat, near a lighthouse.
I have finally read what is known by many as Shakespeare's greatest work (and his longest), and also by some as the greatest play and piece of literatI have finally read what is known by many as Shakespeare's greatest work (and his longest), and also by some as the greatest play and piece of literature of all time. With that reputation, it had a lot to live up to, and in many respects it delivered.
Hamlet is a fantastic exploration of descent into madness, both as a play but also as the central figure, but this also places a lens on the philosophy of 'blood begets blood', as essentially it is pursuit of vengeance and an escalation of events that causes all to lose.
I think Hamlet, the King and the Queen, as well as Laertes and Polonius were very well fleshed characters, with their own worked out psychologies that brought life and a reality to this play. It created tension, and allowed that 'willing suspension of disbelief'.
As well as these characters, I thought every scene with Hamlet himself was fantastic. The crafting of his relationships and the contrast between how he talks to those such as Horatio, and ten Ophelia, revealed so much about his character and personality in a very accomplished and subtle way that was just classic Shakespeare.
On the flip side, I think that some of the supporting cast were weaker than those in Othello or Macbeth, and so these scenes without Hamlet sometimes pulled me out of this evolution of events. His 'friends' were an example of this in my opinion.
Hamlet is a play I would recommend all fans of Shakespeare to read. I do not know how it has taken me until now to finally read it, but I am glad that I have. It was very enjoyable, with some of Shakespeare's most quoted and iconic scenes, and the culmination of events in Hamlet is a fantastic crescendo....more
I was really excited to finally read this award-winning novella that my brother, Ed, thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 1922, a group stand against the Ku KluI was really excited to finally read this award-winning novella that my brother, Ed, thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 1922, a group stand against the Ku Klux Klan, the KKK, who are literal monsters on a rampage throughout America. It appears when I began to be a very quirky and unique tale that also engages with the effects of racism and prejudice and revenge through a clear but smooth extended metaphor.
I am happy that I read this, but I expected more. Much as with Tender is the Flesh, which I read a few months ago, Ring Shout is constructed around a genius idea that I love, but for me the delivery left me wanting much more. I felt that there was potential for far more. I was not attached to the characters, and it took a few turns that did not click with me. Still, this is something I would recommend. A short and interesting read despite some shortcomings in my opinion....more
The Island of the Fay is the most recent short story I have read by the legendary Edgar Allan Poe recently. It is another very well crafted story, witThe Island of the Fay is the most recent short story I have read by the legendary Edgar Allan Poe recently. It is another very well crafted story, with elements that really intrigue me and play with tension and an element of the supernatural. This one did not grip me as much as some others, but it was still enjoyable....more
The Masque of the Red Death is essentially about a plague spreading through the land, so a prince organised for his favourites and their families and The Masque of the Red Death is essentially about a plague spreading through the land, so a prince organised for his favourites and their families and servants to all isolate in the large palace, letting everything else fall to chaos while they live in elegance continuing with their expensive and elaborate parties. But, during a masked party, someone appears who has not been invited...
It is brilliantly written, and Edgar Allan Doe does a wonderful job of creating tone and atmosphere in a short amount of time, with a fantastic conclusion. Of the six short stories I have read so far, this is my favourite alongside The Tell-Tale Heart....more
The Oval portrait I believe is the shortest short story that Edgar Allan Poe wrote, but so far is one of the favourites of his that I have read. It shThe Oval portrait I believe is the shortest short story that Edgar Allan Poe wrote, but so far is one of the favourites of his that I have read. It shares quite a few themes with The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, but in The Oval Portrait we are told about the obsession an artist had with a painting of a woman that he is nearly finished with. It warns of the danger of being too obsessed with anything, even art, and how it is people that suffer......more
The Tell-Tale Heart is amongst one of the most acclaimed and well-known short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe, and actually acted as inspiration foThe Tell-Tale Heart is amongst one of the most acclaimed and well-known short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe, and actually acted as inspiration for the film, Prisoners, which is brilliant but so, so dark. It begins with a man explaining that his actions prove he is not mad, despite what everyone thinks...
It is dark, disturbing and original. In such a short page count you feel yourself become instantly immersed in this tale of a descent into madness, and we see an event unfold from the perspective of our perpetrator who narrates the tale. A fantastic work of literature. This is how to create tension and carry out a story in a short tale!...more
After reading this for the first time, I've now had more than my fair share of Heart of Darkness!!1
“He struggled with himself, too. I saw it -- I hearAfter reading this for the first time, I've now had more than my fair share of Heart of Darkness!!1
“He struggled with himself, too. I saw it -- I heard it. I saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no faith, and no fear, yet struggling blindly with itself.”
REREADING HEART OF DARKNESS FOR THE 3RD TIME - The first time I read this, my problem was that I was not immersed and engaged from the beginning. Second time around, I enjoyed the first half far more, and found myself hooked from beginning to end in this tense and disturbing tale! Who knows what is in store this time...
Heart of Darkness is known as one of the great short stories/novellas, with a powerful message regarding empire and exploration, in a tale with strong horror aspects. That reputation alongside Cormac McCarthy loving the works of Joseph Conrad intrigued me, and I finally picked it up.
Heart of Darkness to me seemed at first to be a fairly similar classic story to many others that I have read. But the further on that I progressed, the more distinctive and unnerving this tale became. Without giving too much away, and to over simplify it, Heart of Darkness is about someone journeying to the heart of the Congo and having their expectations and idolisations destroyed. There are strong horror aspects. There is a great deal of tension. It explores the abuse of power, and also appears to suggest that the British Empire should not expand into lands that are not its own. A fairly progressive idea for the time. It still displays hegemonic values of the time which are morally wrong, but it was interesting to see some of these more progressive opinions being shared at the time when it was written.
I was not immediately hooked, but as the story evolved, Conrad brilliantly crafts tension that builds up to some incredibly powerful and visceral scenes that I remember vividly, a year after closing the final page.
Rich characters battling with the problems of life in an intimate story that is teeming with depth and engagement.
Normal People and Beautiful World, WRich characters battling with the problems of life in an intimate story that is teeming with depth and engagement.
Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You both place in my favourite books of all time list. So it would be fair to say I had high hopes for this, especially considering that one of my close friends has repeatedly told me that this is her favourite Sally Rooney novel.
Whilst I would probably rank this the lowest of the three books by Sally Rooney that I have read, I still thought it was really great, and a book that I would certainly highly recommend. Wonderful exploration of character, with incredible crafting of relationships and interactions. No one can really do these things like Sally Rooney. She has just mastered the creation of contemporary relationships and conflicts, both with society and oneself. The interweaving of internal and external conflict of a small group of characters is done in such a way that engaged me so, so much, and mae=kes this feel like such. real and vivid read.
What I would say makes this slightly different, and just that little bit less effective than her other works, is that some of the very powerful points Sally Rooney makes are made explicitly clear, whereas they were obvious but implied in Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You. I think that shows that Sally Rooney has honed her craft, and this is still a great work of literature. I will certainly be reading whatever she puts out to the world in the future.
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, "This is what it is to be happy.”
I love many of the poe“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, "This is what it is to be happy.”
I love many of the poems that Sylvia Plath created, and in The Bell Jar she carried her elegant writing style to the form of the novel. This is the only book that Sylvia Plath wrote, and in my opinion, and many others, it is fantastic. For a book released in 1963, it is so progressive, with Sylvia Plath engaging with taboo subjects in a way that seems so natural, exploring these themes and ideas through characters that feel so real.
On that topic, the characters are fantastic, as Sylvia Plath portrays life in all its randomness, with realistic humour, moments of severity and the full exploration of the effects of depression and pressure. The characters each have their own motivations, and Sylvia Plath shows how, perhaps engaging with a cynical outlook. Everyone is looking out for themselves.
“If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed.”
The prose is absolutely beautiful. In my opinion it makes sure not to be too indulgent, but hits that balance of beauty whilst being sharp and making sure to keep the story, themes and setting at the core. The prose is really used wonderfully to build on these, and does a fantastic job with the tone and atmosphere, especially in a book where these shift so dramatically at times.
“The silence depressed me. It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence.”
The Bell Jar has become a classic, and I really see why. It is an expertly crafted story that engages with themes so well, both shocking the reader, but also exploring these ideas in a subtle way at the same time. A fantastic look into the effects of pressures of society, isolation and depression.
One of my favourite reads of 2021, and another brilliant work of craft by Sally Rooney!
“At times I think of human relationships as something soft likeOne of my favourite reads of 2021, and another brilliant work of craft by Sally Rooney!
“At times I think of human relationships as something soft like sand or water, and by pouring them into particular vessels we give them shape.”
Beautiful World, Where Are You is the most recent work of Sally Rooney, author also of Normal People, which had a hugely successful TV adaptation, which I absolutely adored. In this, she again creates brilliantly realistic characters who just seem so human, including so much of life that is rarely represented well in books. It is a story about the friendship and relationships of four friends. And it was fantastic.
When I read this, I was going through a mega reading slump, and this brought me out of it. The writing style is so easy to read and is just so engaging. It had me hooked and there was not a single moment of boredom for me. Over her three published novels, Sally Rooney has shown that her style just clicks with me, and also a lot of other people!
“Maybe we're just born to love and worry about the people we know, and to go on loving and worrying even when there are more important things we should be doing.”
As I have come to expect with Sally Rooney, there is also a philosophical vein to this story. It does not dominate the tale, but is used to expand on our characters, through posing the key questions of the story, whilst simultaneously sharing the psyche of our characters. It is masterfully executed in a way that engages me in a way few others can. Not only was I immersed whilst I was reading, but Beautiful World, Where Are You also had a genuine impact on how I was living. I was constantly thinking of the questions posed, and acting on the lessons learned.
This book is a story about four people who are tied to each other in a variety of ways. They each face their own demons, individually and against or with others, and the main thing they have is each other. It is a story of conflict. A story of trying to find purpose, but most importantly, it seemed to me to show the power and human need for friendship. It is a book I think everyone should read.
“Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?”
One of my favourite reads of 2021.
I lo“Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?”
One of my favourite reads of 2021.
I loved the trilogy 'Chaos Walking' a few years ago, as well as 'The Rest of us Live Here', all four of which are written by the acclaimed writer, Patrick Ness. But this is perhaps his most famous and accomplished work, and the book of his I have heard praised the most. I would say deservedly so. Wonderful story. Emotional, heart-wrenching stuff. Written just perfectly. My favourite book of his.
“You do not write your life with words...You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.”
This is a hard-hitting book that is emotionally testing, but if you feel up to it is so worth the read. Such a powerful story written in a way that subtly conveys so much emotion.
Conor is a fantastically realised central character, who is a teenager battling with the knowledge that his mother is dying. Patrick Ness does not shy away from anything in this story. We follow Conor as he goes through anger, denial, loss, sadness and more. It is an unflinching book that shows us how helpless we can be, and how love and loss are intertwined.
“Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.”
A Monster Calls is an absolutely fantastic book that can be read from young teenagers to adults. It is applicable and I would say aimed at everyone. An incredible book that has had a sustained impact on me.
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
“Strange is the night wheI now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
“Strange is the night where black stars rise, and strange moons circle through the skies, but stranger still is lost Carcosa.”
The King in Yellow is a collection of supernatural fiction short stories written by Robert W. Chambers. The first four loosely link in the sense that all mention a play called The King in Yellow, which is known to send people mad once they read it. I thoroughly enjoyed all of these, and thought that they were original and fantastically crafted.
The remaining stories after that I did not enjoy as much. Some supernatural elements are present, but they were more romantic tales, which did not grip me as much.
“Let the red dawn surmise What we shall do, When this blue starlight dies And all is through."
Chambers displays a brilliant understanding of language, which is shown so clearly in the first story, The Yellow Sign. Within a few paragraphs, there was already a great sense of tone and atmosphere, along with character. It was built subtly, with us following a character through a normal day, but this sense of foreboding lingering on the pages. Whilst each of his stories are very different, this expertise is carried across all of them.
Another strength is the culminations. Chambers builds tension very well, and utilises gothic motifs ands the supernatural really well in what is of course a limited page count in a short story.
“The people faded away, the arches, the vaulted roof vanished. I raised my seared eyes to the fathomless glare; and I saw the black stars hanging in the heavens: and the wet winds from the Lake of Hali chilled my face.”
The King in Yellow is a short story collection I would recommend to those who enjoy gothic tales, as well as fans of fantasy. It is said to be a landmark in supernatural fiction between Poe and Lovecraft, and I can see why this collection is so respected, especially the first four stories. Whilst I did not collect with the last few, the first half of the collection was fantastic.
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
“Perhaps even people you I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
“Perhaps even people you like and admire immensely can make you see the World in ways you would rather not.”
So, Piranesi opposed almost everything I expected from this story, but I it is really great! Part of me was tentative throughout, and slightly puzzled what it was aiming for, but that does not necessarily need to be a negative. This is a book that I think you can get more enjoyment from when going in blind, because I was so, so engaged and interested in watching this story evolve.
Because of that element of having absolutely no idea how the story is going to evolve, I will not go into too much detail regarding plot or anything that reveals what this story turns into.
Piranesi is set in the real world, but with a supernatural element. Not in terms of out-and-out magic or monsters, but there is a room which is part of the world, but separate at the same time, and it operates by a different set of rules.
“The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.”
The story is formed through the diary entries of our central character, Piranesi, whose motivations are incredibly interesting. He grows fantastically throughout this story, with the epistolary form acting to uniquely portray the growth Piranesi goes through in such an original way. The way Piranesi views this unique setting through his introverted personality and the way this evolves and alters as the plot grows was just executed masterfully.
Somehow, Susanna Clarke had me hooked and tense straight away, despite the initial events just really going through the day-to-day life of Piranesi, through his diary accounts. Such an interesting story that I believe has something for everyone, despite being an incredibly weird story. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read that explores a unique setting and had so much depth that made me want to re-read it immediately, and it is also very thought provoking. As I said, something for everyone. I think so anyway. It subverts all expectations, but still creates tension, got me engaged and offered a very satisfying conclusion. Everything I could ask for!
A Choice of Anglo-Saxon Verse is a wonderful edition that holds some of the most well-known Old English poems, other than Beowulf, from The Wanderer, A Choice of Anglo-Saxon Verse is a wonderful edition that holds some of the most well-known Old English poems, other than Beowulf, from The Wanderer, to The Seafarer, The Wife's Lament, and all the way to Riddles, which may or may not have directly inspired Tolkien regarding Riddles in the Dark....
Reading this gives a fantastic insight into this historical period, commenting on themes of value, as well as key historical events. I think that people often view Old English poetry as being solely focused on battle and monster slaying, but the sophisticated and philosophical layers of these works are so commonly overlooked, which is so wrong! It is as engaging as anything else you can read.
As well as being fantastic poems on their own, it is also so enjoyable reading these because you can spot how so many writers have been directly inspired, such as Tolkien who almost word for word takes a section of The Wanderer and attributes it to a speech of Theoden's. Also Bernard Cornwell, whose saying 'Fate is Inexorable' has become a staple of his works, gained this most likely from The Wanderer. They are just a few that jumped out to me....more
No surprise that this is an awesome prose translation by Tolkien of the epic Old English myth that is Beowulf. This is a story that despite being so oNo surprise that this is an awesome prose translation by Tolkien of the epic Old English myth that is Beowulf. This is a story that despite being so old, has resonates through the ages, commenting on the ideas of tragedy and heroism, belonging, duty, glory, and so much more. Some of these themes reflect the values of the period that have now been left behind in a modern context, but there is still so much that is thought provoking and wonderfully engaging, even today.
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
When this won the Booker I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
When this won the Booker Prize recently, I looked at the blurb and was immediately drawn in. This is a story about the effects of war, the dehumanising consequences of conflict and the dramatic effects of loss, all whilst also engaging with race, masculinity, identity and more.
This is a shocking and engaging read which begins powerfully and maintains that intensity throughout. Some of the phrases come across as slightly clunky, but that is inevitable when English was not the original language. It has been translated from French and is not jarring at all so far, but merely has phrases that sound a bit out of place.
At Night All Blood is Black is certainly disturbing. It is unnerving and disturbing, through showing how someone. becomes dehumanised, and the presentation of this is masterful, but still unsettling. The exploration of psychology was amazing to read, and an experience I will remember for a long, long time....more
Loading...
