Twitter Reading Inspiration

I am/have been attempting to take part in a few 'challenges' on twitter recently in the hope of both gaining and inspiring reading over the summer months. I love reading in the sun but work does inevitably drag you down in these lazy months and it can be difficult. As with exercise, you always feel so much better once you have 'broken the seal' and dived straight in (the internet is telling me that 'dived' is used correctly here but it really doesn't look right does it?).

My daunting but wonderful 'to read' shelves. Soon to be diminished (and immediately replaced).

Un-Review: "The Silkworm" by Robert Galbraith

This is the second detective/crime novel to feature Cormoran Strike as the protagonist, and is written by Robert Galbraith/J. K. Rowling.

First of all, I love detective fiction. Poirot, Marple, Rebus, Agatha Raisin, Charlie Parker, Evadne Mount - I have burned my way through the lot (near enough). Detective fiction can be, and usually is, relatively formulaic, but I often find this comforting. I also rarely guess the killer/bad guy as I just allow myself to enjoy the ride for what it is, and these Cormoran Strike novels are no exception.

For me, there is something about the way J. K. Rowling writes, whether it be for children or adults, that is so personal. I have read all of her books and every single character, big or small, has depth and realism. I feel like she cares about her characters as if they were real people, with stories to tell that we just don't get to hear about in the short novel. This quality cannot be taught or faked and I think it is a rare thing indeed.

It is for both of these reasons that I was super supremo excited about this book being released. I genuinely thought we would not be getting a second Cormoran Strike novel, as J. K. Rowling obviously writes only for fun nowadays, what with her being a billionaire and such. She must like the characters as much as me. You cant buy good taste!

Audio Book Un-Review: "Northern Lights" by Philip Pullman

As I have said before, I do love a good audio book, particularly when I am working. The aim of the game is escapism, whilst still keeping approximately 25% of my brain on my work.

I decided to work my way through His Dark Materials in audio form because, like most people my age, I binged my way through the books in high school and have huge amounts of affection and nostalgia for the series. The fact that the audio book is effectively a re-read means that I can afford to only keep one eye open (metaphorically), but could also lead to disappointment in the cold light of day/adulthood.

Do I need to give a synopsis? I am nothing if not current, so surely everyone has read this already? Surely? If not, go and read it for God's sake, it's a modern classic, the new black (where black is The Chronicles of Narnia with a bit of sex thrown in).

Un-Review: "PopCo" by Scarlett Thomas

In the absence of any real inspiration from the books I have read recently, and as my blog is so new to the world, I decided that I fancied 'reviewing' a favourite of mine.

It is difficult to explain why I adore Scarlett Thomas' books so much, though as I read one of them (any one of them), I have the overwhelming feeling that this is THE book I would write if I could. It is a very personal, emotional feeling which I hope everyone can feel when reading the books of at least one author.

I chose 'PopCo' to review, rather than any of her other novels, as the protagonist is the most like myself than in any other. I definitely get the feeling that in Scarlett Thomas' early works, particularly the Lily Pascale series, the protagonist is portrayed idealistically, and how I would want to be, rather than as a version of how I really am. I can only assume this is the same for the author, as her confidence as a person and author increased and she strayed away from idealistic characters and genre fiction.
'PopCo' and 'The End of Mr. Y', my favourites, fall somewhere in between genre fiction and pure literature. Original, thought provoking, fantastical stories, backed up by authentic, memorable prose - perfect.

My 'To Read' Bookshelf

I have an extensive (and possibly excessive) 'to read' bookshelf. Somehow these books have spread to a second shelf as of late, despite me seemingly constantly having my nose in a book. There are worse things to hoard.

Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingslover; Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut; Neuromancer by William Gibson; Every Dead Thing by John Connolly; The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins by Irvine Welsh; The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B by J. P. Donleavy; A Month in the Country by J. L. Carr; The Secret History by Donna Tartt; Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec.

Un-Review: "A Wild Sheep Chase" by Haruki Murakami

"Sheep hurt my father, and through my father, sheep have also hurt me".

Surreal. Surreal is the only word that quite fits the bill when describing 'A Wild Sheep Chase'. I have read a lot of Murakami, and am slowly working my way through his back catalogue, in no particular order. Murakami is certainly one of 'my authors', one of a small group of authors whose work just speaks to me, for better or for worse (Scarlett Thomas and Neil Gaiman are also in the gang), so any review will be a little biased. Author's obviously put a little of themselves in every book they write, and I assume these author's have a bit of them that matches a bit of me (this does make sense I assure you).

It is a bizarre, wistful detective story set in a version of Japan that is not quite real, but is the Japan we recognise from all of Murakami's novels. His books have probably ruined any future visits to Japan for me, I have unreal expectations of the country's otherworldliness.

You wouldn't believe me if I told you what the book is about, and doing this in any great detail would spoil the ride for you. From around page 200, at the end of every chapter I had to put the book down for a second and stare into the distance in order to re-assess the situation. In brief:  a disillusioned, aimless man with an infirm cat, and a girl whose ears have supernatural qualities, go on 'A Wild Sheep Chase' in order to clear up some copyright issues at his company - so far, so relatively normal right? Wrong, shit gets real, in the form of a missing acquaintance called 'The Rat' and his sketch of a mystical sheep, a sheep that people in high places are looking for, a sheep that has the power to make them, or break them. I know right?

The oddly original story is written so vividly by Murakami, with the tone changing a number of times throughout the book; from detective story, to adventure fantasy, to sinister thriller. I also find that, like all of Murakami's novels, the translation really adds to the text, and the same story written by an English speaker would be worlds apart from what we end up reading. The flow of the novel is perfect, unusual, but perfect.

Apparently this is the third book in a (sort of) trilogy, following on from 'Hear the Wind Sing' and 'Pinball, 1973'. However, these are the first two novels he wrote, and are extremely difficult/expensive to get hold of anywhere outside Japan. I am currently investigating the situation.

Read this book if: you are a world weary soul, you want to travel the world but also stay safe and warm, you want (or consider yourself to be) a kooky girl, you feel misunderstood, you like to be surprised, you like the simple plot devices of genre fiction but yearn for more, you need shocking out of any sort of inertia.

A List of Books to Make You Feel......Something.

01

The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas

I have read reviews of this book and apparently it is a little 'marmite' for some peoples taste. I can't imagine anyone who genuinely loves literature and is interested in science, nature, fantasy, adventure, escapism and realism being written about in an original way, wouldn't take a lot away from this book. Mostly, I think the author just speaks to my soul, as I have loved everything she has written. It is like reading my own diary, in a world where my life is extremely interesting.