June 2019 Reading Round Up
Posted 1st July 2019
Category: Round-Ups Genres: N/A
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The past month has been pretty topsy-turvy. Whilst I still read a fair amount it was with the use of the lots-of-books-at-once method; I’ve two books not quite finished, and I read half of another that, in a rare show of defiance for my usual sunk cost reading fallacy I decided not to complete. At the tail end of last week, summer finally begun in Britain after weeks of rain, which led to some evenings outside. I have also given time to the Womens’ World Cup, switching reading for knitting as I cheer on England (next match is against the USA, tomorrow evening).
All books are works of fiction.
The Books
Birgit Vanderbeke: You Would Have Missed Me – A young girl moves from East to West Germany with her parents, who look forward to the luxury to come whilst neglecting their child; she struggles to work out her life. A difficult but very good read.
Louisa May Alcott: Little Women – Four girls learn to live with their mother in relative poverty following their father’s losses in investments and his leaving to serve in the American Civil War. Very good, but sugary sweet at times; the morality is strong, suited to the era and target audience.
Nicola Cornick: The Woman In The Lake – A Lady is given a gown that, when asked, her maid does not destroy, instead hiding it away; centuries later a girl on a school trip takes a gown from a room (that suddenly looks nothing like the one she’d been viewing), and for the next several years finds the thrill from stealing things too attractive to ignore, and the gown a scary reminder of a strange time few know about. Pretty good, but not quite as good as Cornick’s previous two books.
It has been a month for literary satisfaction. Apart from the three above which were all enjoyable (the Vanderbeke wins) I’ve about 150 pages left of Michelle Obama’s Becoming and am a good way through Little Women part two, which I’ll be referring to as Good Wives and reviewing separately. (This two book set up seems to be the standard in the UK and is how I’ve always seen the series; it also means it’s easier to review as I’ve found part two very different and, for all the domesticity, the – spoilers until the end of this sentence – seeming kow-towing to anger-prone husbands, and Amy’s future that I know is coming up soon, it’s been enjoyable.) I’ve realised how silly it was to define it as something that should be read at Christmas – it certainly suits, but with the narrative taking place over a whole year it’s not really all that festive.
I’m going into July with a plan to continue reading as I have been; I’ve a couple of obligations but mostly it’ll be whimsical.
How is your summer (or winter) going? Are you watching the World Cup? And is it worth reading all 4 (3) books of Alcott’s series?
July 3, 2019, 5:11 pm
A book I vaguely remember reading as a girl (I’m sure I will have done so as it was loved by my mam) but had no lasting impression of, rereading it a few years ago I thought it rather twee.
I’ve managed to miss the World Cup despite the match between England and America being the most watched programme of the year.
July 7, 2019, 8:45 am
Charlie, in June, I read Jo’s Boys which completed Louisa May Alcott’s classic children’s series. While I found Little Men and Jo’s Boys to both be lovely comforting reads, I didn’t love them like I did Little Women (I read Little Women and Good Wives as one). Happy July reading!
July 7, 2019, 2:56 pm
Sounds like a very fruitful month. I have not read anything by Alcott, but a lot of people speak about it. A classic I think. I am listening to Becoming, but since I don’t listen that much (still have a little bit of problems listening to books!) it takes a long time. Half way through I think.
June was a good month though with 11 books read!
July 8, 2019, 12:09 pm
Freda: Interesting to know. I remember reading some of it as a child but I don’t think I finished it. Happy July!
Tracy Terry: Same here really – I know I read some of it but couldn’t remember much beyond the culture… gulf. It’s of it’s time, but better in adulthood I reckon.
Jessica: Interesting! I actually started Little Men after finishing Good Wives but a couple of chapters in I wasn’t sure about it and so checked reviews which say it isn’t so good. I think perhaps it was a ‘keep the bestseller going’ situation. I may go back to it but not yet.
Lisbeth: I can relate to the listening to books problem, it’s easy enough to lose track when you’re reading it on the page. You’ve picked a good one to listen to though given she narrates it. I’ve found a couple of chapters to be difficult reading which I’m guessing is better when you can hear her tone. Well done on eleven books!
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July 1, 2019, 6:30 pm
I loved Little Women when I read it as a young girl. :-) Happy July!