Read in January 2021 ★★★☆☆ The Thirteenth Tale is an ode to words, reading and storytelling in a narrative set around biographer Margaret Lea and her exclusive invitation to write the mysterious life story of elusive bestselling author, Vida Winter. Heavily inspired by Gothic and Victorian literature, Setterfield weaves an intimate and dramatic family storyContinue reading “The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield”
(A Very Untimely) January & February Round-Up
2021 has gotten away from me so far in terms of blogging (as I’m sure you can tell) but I’m hoping that after an upcoming flurry of catch-up reviews, I should be back. Granted, I’ve made the job a lot easier for myself by not committing to full reviews of every single book I readContinue reading “(A Very Untimely) January & February Round-Up”
My Favourite Books of 2020
It’s still (just about) January, so I think I can count this as only a slightly untimely 2020 wrap-up. I have just the four favourites for 2020 out of 57 books but I think that’s because 1. I’m very picky and 2. These are all so strong that it’s hard for me to let anythingContinue reading “My Favourite Books of 2020”
57. Summer Spirit by Elizabeth Holleville
★★★☆☆ Written, illustrated and translated from the French by Elizabeth Holleville, Summer Spirit captures the headiness of summer intertwined with the trials of coming of age. Spending the summer as usual at her grandmother’s with her sister and cousins, Louise finds that they are growing up without her. Whilst her sister and cousins want toContinue reading “57. Summer Spirit by Elizabeth Holleville”
54, 55 & 56: Festive Mini Reviews
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ★★★★☆ Ebenezer Scrooge’s moral awakening is a story that is so well-known that it could sit among fairytales in its cultural significance, so I was glad to still find this a compelling and original read on my first experience of it. In particular, I enjoyed the dark and heavyContinue reading “54, 55 & 56: Festive Mini Reviews”
53. Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
★★★☆☆ Inspired by a similar encounter in Saadawi’s own life, this short novel details the life of Firdaus, a woman facing execution in Egypt who has finally decided to tell her life story. In this account, Firdaus describes the injustices and mistreatment she has continually faced due to her gender. Saadawi unflinchingly exposes the corruptionContinue reading “53. Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi”
52. Misery by Stephen King
★★★★☆ By a(n) (un)lucky twist of fate, Paul Sheldon, a troubled writer, is saved from the wreckage of his car by Annie Wilkes, his “number one fan”. Paul already has misgivings about her decision to nurse him herself at her remote Colorado home, but the stakes intensify when Annie is yet to read his latestContinue reading “52. Misery by Stephen King”
51. In Your Defence: Stories of Life and Law by Sarah Langford
★★★☆☆ Sarah Langford’s take on the popular “professional confessional” is a neat, heartfelt collection of eleven of her cases as a barrister in both the family and criminal courts. Langford explains that the cases she relays are true in essence, with a number of details changed – such as race, gender and location – borrowedContinue reading “51. In Your Defence: Stories of Life and Law by Sarah Langford”
50. Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins
★★★★☆ Magpie Lane is a confidently atmospheric take on the domestic thriller with suggestions of ghosts and dark academia, and a sumptuous unfolding of character histories. The novel follows nanny, Dee, as she is questioned by the police about the disappearance of the young girl she cares for, selectively mute Felicity, the eight-year old daughterContinue reading “50. Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins”
November Round-Up
November feels like it flew by (as do the 14 days since I was supposed to finish and post this round-up, oops). I honestly can’t say where it went or what I did but after only finishing two books in October, I got gently back into the reading flow with four books. Books Magpie LaneContinue reading “November Round-Up”
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