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As we began January 2021 in yet another Level 5 lockdown here in Ireland, I decided to embrace it as much as I could and spent pretty much ALL of my spare time (I mean, what time is not spare at the moment) reading. I enjoyed most of the books I read this month - a couple of not-so-sure-about ones but nonetheless, a good reading month overall. 

1.  Asymmetry - Lisa Halliday

This was the first book I read this year, which I received as a gift from my friend Gráinne (the one who always picks amazing books). I think I may have missed something in this book, as it confused me quite a bit, although I enjoyed the actual reading of it thoroughly.

This book begins with Alice, a book editor in her twenties with dreams of writing her own books, who finds herself in a relationship with a famous writer, Ezra Blazer, who is 45 years older than her. Ezra is controlling and very generous, but asks too much of Alice while flaunting the power he feels he has over her. 

However, the second part of the book begins and tells an entirely different story (which is meant to be connected somehow to Alice's story), of a man, Amar, who has travelled to London to meet a friend, then planning to fly on to Kurdistan to find his brother who has disappeared. Amar gets detained at Heathrow (2008, in the height of the terrorism battle) and is subjected to questioning and interrogation.

Again, I really enjoyed the language used and the style of writing in this book, but I think I missed a key, complex piece of what was going on and how these two stories of Alice and Amar are interconnected while I was reading it. Upon googling, it is a little clearer, but let me know your thoughts if you have read it!

2. Ghosts - Dolly Alderton

Dolly Alderton is a wonder - I literally love everything she does, writes and recommends. Starting off my adoration was her podcast, The High Low, with Pandora Sykes, then came her first book, Everything I Know About Love which I absolutely gobbled up, and now, Ghosts which, naturally, I also devoured.

This story follows Nina Dean - a food writer in her early thirties. After two years of singledom, she meets Max, who insists on the first date that he will marry her (one of those) and she feels as if everything is falling into place. Until, of course, he ghosts her. TWICE. Alongside this, she is struggling with friendships as her friends seem to sink further and further into "settled" territory, and she struggles with her Dad who is slowly disappearing before her eyes as his dementia worsens.

I loved this book. It was relatable, funny and spoke in a beautiful way about the experience of having a loved one with dementia, without it feeling too heavy. A great, easy and enjoyable read for sure.

3. The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman

This is such a lovely book - hilarious and heart-warming (despite the cynical-sounding title). 

The story is set in a retirement village where four unlikely friends - pushing 80 years old - reside. The group meet weekly - every Thursday - to discuss old, unsolved crimes, and together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. However, the old cases get pushed to the side when a local man who had interest in buying the retirement village is found dead and they find themselves trying to solve their first live murder case. As another body turns up, the Thursday Murder Club are determined to catch the killer before it's too late.

While this book is largely a comedy, there are some touching moments of friendship and love and the lasting quality of both. A great read!

4. Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens

*Trigger warning - sexual assault*

I know I am waaay late to the party on this one, and I wish I had read it sooner because I absolutely loved it, and cannot wait to see the film (but hope they don't make a balls of it like they so often do when making amazing books into movies). This is a gorgeous story of survival, independence, love and friendship, with a running nature theme throughout which is so calming to read.

The book follows Kya Clark, known in the local village as the "Marsh Girl." She lives in a shack in the marsh and is gradually abandoned by everyone in her family, finding herself alone. We learn about her daily life and connection she has to the marsh around her, and how she nurtures a relationship with Tate, a local boy, without ever knowing how.

However, Chase Andrews - a popular guy in the village - turns up dead, and because they suspect her of all sorts (on the basis of not knowing her or attempting to know her), the village insist that Kya is the culprit. 

This book is really thought-provoking and shows the discrimination Kya experiences as a young woman, essentially alone in the world. This book was moving and beautifully written, would recommend to everyone.

5. The Colour Purple - Alice Walker

*Trigger warning - sexual assault, domestic abuse, racism* 

This is a brilliant, heart-breaking story, I really loved the style of writing in letter format, written to her sister/diary entries to God throughout the book.

This story follows the life of African American women in the earliest 20th century in Georgia. Celie and her sister, Nettie, were separated at a young age and try to stay in eachothers' lives as much as they can, despite being worlds away from one another and leading completely different lives. We follow their story through a series of letters over and back between the sisters over 20 years, as well as Celie's letters to God. We also follow the characters of Shug Avery and Sofia, along with the husbands of these women and the way of the world back then when it came to women.

It is a tough read, discussing many instances of domestic and sexual abuse and the pain the women experience throughout their lives as a result, their courage, and how their companionship with one another gets them through.

Again, looking forward to watching movie but hoping it doesn't do a terrible job of re-enacting the book.

6. Redhead by the Side of the Road - Anne Tyler

This book I did not get along with. If I had to sum it up in one (slightly harsh) sentence, I would say it was trying to be Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine but sadly not succeeding. 

The story follows Micah Mortimer - a creature of habit with a structured and strict routine in life that he does not like to stray from. The plotline basically centres around his girlfriend - with whom he has a strange, systematic sort of relationship - getting evicted, his reaction to that, and the subsequent effect on their relationship; and a strange situation where a teenager turns up on his doorstep claiming to be his son.

While I understood the point was for these events to show how his routine was thrown off, it didn't really develop at all, I was waiting for something substantial to happen and it just didn't. Not a fan unfortunately.

Let me know what you read that you loved, I am forever looking for more reading recommendations!

Thank you for reading as always,

S ✗

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