Reading Life: 25th January 2016
Posted 25th January 2016
Category: Reading Life Genres: N/A
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My reading has been going quite well the last couple of weeks. As the three-in-a-row reviews showed, I’ve read a good amount. I’ve been enjoying it and making time for it – I think that was part of the problem. There wasn’t as much time as I’d hoped during Christmas so I needed to get back into it again.
I’ve been reading one star reviews of The Girl On The Train. I like to read others’ reviews once I’ve written mine and tend to opt for those who felt differently than I did. I’ve found there’s a big disparity in the way people feel about Rachel – people who feel that she’s depressed and for good reason, that yes she may be annoying but understandably, and people who think she’s pathetic. I think the disparity shows we need to speak about these issues more, make more of the signs that can slip under the radar.
I’m now reading Xiaolu Guo’s I Am China, a book I’ve had since it was released and looked forward to reading. I may actually give up on it soon – I know the political, historical, content is going to be excellent but the book itself is a ‘fail’ for me. Plot-device ‘characters’, no reason to care, distance. It’s been interesting to compare this to Anchee Min’s Wild Ginger which is set in the same period; Min’s book is shorter but very hard-hitting and does the job well.
Considering the Guo isn’t working too well for me but I want to finish it, I’ve picked up Northern Lights in the meantime. It’s a sort of readalong choice – I’ve read it twice already, once in my single figure years and again a few years ago, but I had the chance to read it with someone in real life and jumped at it – who doesn’t want to have a good book conversation when they’re at the same point in the book as the other person? In this case it’s a reread for both of us so there will be few ‘I wonder what will happen’ conversations, but it might result in a deeper consideration of the themes. I’ve decided to sum up my reading on Twitter so you might see me attempting to be witty about it every so often.
Lastly, I’m still reading The Spring Of Kasper Meier and things are looking up. It isn’t that it’s been a bad book up to this point, there’s just been a distinct lack of action; Fergusson’s now getting to the heart of what he wants to talk about and it seems there may be a few themes up for discussion – sexuality and the re-building of lives after war. I think what I like most about this book as a concept, is the backdrop, the way it’s a bit further forward in history to Zusak’s The Book Thief. Where that book ends, rubble, isn’t too far from where Fergusson begins and whilst they may be different genres and targeted to different age groups they keep an important story going.
How is your new year reading?
January 26, 2016, 1:08 am
I tried to read I Am China also and didn’t get all the way through. Just not quite my cup of tea, I think, although I’ll try it again probably before I give up. It came so highly recommended!
February 1, 2016, 12:20 pm
Jessica: Best laid plans and all that, isn’t it? Glad to hear you’re back on track :)
Jenny: I’m thinking I’ll do the same, and kind of glad to hear your thoughts match my own (reviews on GoodReads do, but it’s not the same). Yes! The cover says ‘Granta Best Novelist’ and it was shortlisted and so on and… I just don’t see it.
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January 25, 2016, 6:32 pm
Like you, I got out of my reading rhythm over Christmas. I have finished 3 books this month now and I feel my reading mojo is back.