Hayley Westwood
Thank you to Katya Ellis at Quercus/Riverrun for sending me a copy of ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ by Edwidge Danticat.
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ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱʜᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ ᴏꜰꜰ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ ɪꜱ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ, ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅʀᴇɴ.
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This was a beautiful collection of stories. Each one is different, and they all follow characters linked to Haiti/Port au Prince.
They have all lived through some degree of violence or distress, and events that some of us can only imagine, such as earthquakes and kidnappings.
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“ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀɪᴄᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ?” ᴇʟꜱɪᴇ ᴀꜱᴋᴇᴅ.
“ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ'ꜱ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ,” ʜᴇ ꜱᴀɪᴅ. “ꜱʜᴇ'ᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ɢᴏ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ.”
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What stands out though, is the delicacy of the stories told, and the normality of the struggles the characters now face.
Despite the particular events they have lived, their concerns are the same as people who haven't lived through their experiences: disagreements with family; illness; divorce; unrequited love.
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ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴀᴍᴇ ʜᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪᴢᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴇʟꜱɪᴇ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴀ'ꜱ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘꜱ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ.
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Topics that effect us all, such as dementia, family, and age/the passage of time are depicted gracefully.
The characters feel real to me, and fully rounded, but these hard-hitting topics are dealt with in a respectful manner by Danticat.
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ᴊᴇᴀɴɴᴇ ʜᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɪɴ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ'ꜱ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ, ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛ. ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ'ꜱ ᴘᴀɪɴ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ. ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ꜱᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ɪɴ ʜɪᴍ. ʜɪꜱ ʜᴀɪʀ ɪꜱ ɢʀᴀʏᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪꜱ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢꜱ. ʜɪꜱ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ ꜱʟᴇᴇᴘ, ʜɪꜱ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ᴡᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ.
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If you like short stories I would definitely recommend reading Everything Inside, and I would absolutely consider reading more of Danticat's work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for approving me to read ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀ by Tana French.
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I felt that this was a very atmospheric book, being set in a remote part of Ireland, surrounding by woodland, bog and hills.
French describes her settings beautifully.
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ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ɪꜱ ʀɪᴄʜ ᴀꜱ ꜰʀᴜɪᴛᴄᴀᴋᴇ, ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇ ɪᴛ; ʙɪᴛᴇ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴀ ʙɪɢ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜꜰᴜʟ, ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ, ᴏʀ ʀᴜʙ ʜᴀɴᴅꜰᴜʟꜱ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ.
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There are some very current and relevant topics mentioned within the story that do help the reader understand some of the setting/plot.
I think it is important for topics such as racism, classism and sexism to be highlighted and addressed within literature, even if sometimes the point is slightly missed.
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ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɢᴏᴛ ᴍᴀᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴘ. ʙᴀᴅ ᴄᴏᴘꜱ ɢᴏᴛ ᴍᴀᴅ 'ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜱʜɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ꜱᴜᴅᴅᴇɴ. ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴄᴏᴘꜱ ɢᴏᴛ ᴍᴀᴅ 'ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴅ ɢᴜʏꜱ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.
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This was not a fast-paced thriller, and was instead more of a slow burn reveal.
While I did enjoy the overall plot and the twists/details of what really happened, I felt that the movement of the story was a little too linear for me. I think the remote setting limited where the story could go as there were only so many characters and interactions that could be believable.
Obviously this is personal preference, and so I'm sure plenty of readers would enjoy this style more than I did.
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ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ᴏʀ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴅᴏ, ʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ꜱᴇᴇ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡᴇʟʟ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱʜɪꜰᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ʜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴇʏ ʙᴏᴛʜ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱQᴜᴀᴛᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱɪᴅᴇʙᴏᴀʀᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ɪᴍᴘʟᴀᴄᴀʙʟᴇ ꜱʜɪꜰᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ʜᴜɴᴅʀᴇᴅ ᴄᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ.
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While this specific novel wasn't my favourite, there was still a lot about it that I did enjoy, and I would definitely consider reading more from Tana French.
I loved this retelling and twisting of the classic fairytale Snow White. This version is not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for children.
I love Colleen Dorran's artwork, and admire the influence of Harry Clarke's stained glass. I have looked through the book a few times and spot new details and intricacies each time.
If you like dark retellings of classic fairytales, and gothic stories, you will definitely enjoy this, but it is worth reading for the artwork alone.
Thank you to Virago Press and to NetGalley for approving me to read the ARC of Jack by Marilynne Robinson, due out September 29th.
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I didn't realise before I requested this book that it was part of a series - the Gilead series - and so it may be that there is more of a backstory of these characters that I'm not aware of.
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Overall it was a pretty love story focussed on Jack Boughton, a self professed thief and bum, and Della Miles, an African-American school teacher.
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I felt the story was interesting, though a little strange. Especially the scene where the two characters are in a graveryard overnight, discoursing in a tête-à-tête manner, and seemingly theologising.
It felt very reminiscent of Waiting for Godot, especially when they were dicussing the thieves alongside Jesus on the cross, their taking off and putting on of shoes, and the general manner of their theologising.
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I think anyone who likes the Gilead series, or books written in prose, would probably enjoy this book a lot, but while the psychological reflections and poetry were interesting in parts, it wasn't my favourite sort of book personally.
ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ɪɴᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴏʀ ɪꜱ ɪᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴍᴇ?
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Thank you to Poppy Stimpson at Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for approving me to read ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢʀʏ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ by H S Norup.
I LOVED this book. Although it is categorised as Pushkin Childrens, The Hungry Ghost can clearly can be appreciated and enjoyed by all ages, and it really piqued my interest in Singaporean Buddhist/Taoist culture.
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ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢʀʏ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ ꜰᴇꜱᴛɪᴠᴀʟ. ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀɪɴɢꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴜʀ ᴀɴᴄᴇꜱᴛᴏʀꜱ - ꜰᴇᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜʀɴ ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴏ ᴏɴ. ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡɪꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛ ᴜꜱ.
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The story follows our protagonist Freja as she navigates a move across the world; from living with her Mother in Denmark to living with her Father and his new family in Singapore.
The changes Freja faces are depicted in an age appropriate way, which can obviously be beneficial for younger readers, but it allows us to empathise with her and bond with her.
I really felt myself rooting for her, and could appreciate her perspective both from her position, and from the position of the adults in her life.
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ᴍᴜᴍ'ꜱ ꜰᴀʀ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴀᴅ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ᴄʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ɪꜱ. ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ, ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜɢ ʜᴇʀ. ɪꜰ ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇꜰᴜʟ ɪ'ᴍ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅ ᴜᴘ ʟɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ.
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The characters that gravitate around Freja are well-rounded, and it was good to feel that I gained an insight into their lives. From her friends' backgrounds (like Jason who lives with his ‘Ah Ma' instead of his parents) to Freja's parents and the particular struggles they've faced, and Clementine who has enough detachment to really recognise what support Freja needs, they all had their own worlds that overlapped with Freja's
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“ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴏᴋᴀʏ, ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢʀᴀɴᴅᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ?”
“ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ. ᴍᴏꜱᴛʟʏ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ. ꜱʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʀɪᴇꜱ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴍʏ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛꜱ. ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴍᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ'ᴍ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ꜰɪᴠᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴏʟᴅ... ʙᴜᴛ ꜱʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ʙᴇꜱᴛ.”
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Norup's descriptions are unique and magical. They depict senses and feelings in a way that feel tangible, especially when relating to Freja's experiences at Bukit Brown.
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ɪɴᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀ ʟᴇɢꜱ ᴛɪᴄᴋʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ɴᴇᴄᴋ. ɢᴏᴏꜱᴇ ᴘɪᴍᴘʟᴇꜱ ʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴍʏ ᴀʀᴍꜱ.
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Freja's mission to understand Ling and to help satisfy her is a truly beautiful story, and without giving too much away, it shows how in helping others we usually help ourselves too.
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ᴡᴇ ꜱᴀʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ. ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ, ᴡᴇ ʟɪᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴇᴅ, ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴍɪɴᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴄᴏᴏʟɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ.
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Overall this was a joy to read, and there is so much more I could say, but I don't want to spoil this for anyone else by giving too much away.
The themes of culture, family, friendship, love, loss, and heritage were beautifully interwoven throughout, and I genuinely think readers will be intrigued by and want to learn more about the culture depicted through the story.
I've already bought a couple of books recommended by Helle (H S Norup) and definitely want to learn more myself. I've also ordered a copy of The Hungry Ghost to keep on my shelves, and would encourage everyone to do the same.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴘʟᴀʏ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟɪᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪᴛ'ʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀꜱꜱ
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Having finished this book, I can understand why this is such a marmite book for people; you either love it or hate it.
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ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ, ʜᴏᴘɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴀꜱ ʜᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱᴏᴜɴᴅ
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There is no denying that some of the writing in this thriller is excellent. For the majority of the book we are following Alison, and the mistakes she is making, and the messes she is getting herself into.
It was very immersive and got under my skin a little.
I felt for her as a character as it was clear she was damaged in some way, and the vagueness kept me hooked and wanting to know more about her and what had potentially happened to her.
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ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜱᴇQᴜᴇɴᴄᴇs
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As I was reading this I got serious The Girl on The Train vibes.
However, I think the plot could have been more cleverly executed towards the end. I wasn't completely surprised by all of the twists and turns, but a lot of thriller fans will definitely enjoy this, and I would read more books by Harriet Tyce.
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ɪ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ, ᴀ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ꜱᴍɪʟᴇ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴜꜱ