Hayley Westwood
‘The memories we elude catch up to us, overtake us like a shadow.'
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I read this book after whatissiereads recommended it on the Booksthatmatter instagram page.
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I enjoyed this book. It was unusual and poetic and beautiful.
I think the structure could be a little perplexing for some people, especially when the second main character (Ben) is introduced so late in the story.
However, the title itself alludes to the fact that what is being portrayed is pieces. Pieces of individuals, and their history, and their ancestry, and their legacy as they too pass on.
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‘To survive was to escape fate. But if you escape your fate, whose life do you then step into?'
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The story of Jakob Beer and his relationship with Athos is captivating and heartbreaking.
They save each other, harboring their shared secrets, growing together and moving forward into their future. But the past is never truly forgotten.
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‘My anguish was specific: the possibility that it was as painful for them to be remembered as it was for me to remember them; that I was haunting my parents and Bella with my calling'.
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The reflections on memory, and the lineage of shared history, are particularly interesting throughout this book. We know that we can never fully know our family members, and those we love.
Everyone holds secrets inside them, but even when these secrets are shared, they are often not revelatory enough to fully understand.
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‘History is amoral: events occurred. But memory is moral; what we consciously remember is what our conscience remembers.'
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There is so much more I could say about this book, but I also don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. I would definitely recommend it.
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‘Noone is born just once. If you're lucky you'll emerge again in someone's arms; or unlucky, wake when the long tail of terror brushes the inside of your skull.'
‘Our relationship with nature is precarious. It's a very delicate thing.'
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Thank you to HQStories and NetGalley for approving me to read the ARC of Growing Season by Seni Glaister, due out 20 August.
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I really enjoyed this book. Glaister's descriptions and depictions of nature are beautiful throughout. But the way she intertwines humanity with nature is particularly remarkable.
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‘We try, as we grow, to unfurl in an orderly fashion. Some of us find it harder to express our inner beauty than others and for those people it's probably also a bit harder to recognise it when you see it.'
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Sam and Danny are complicated individuals, each with their own worries and burdens; at times they feel similar, and at times very different. I think this is a true reflection of most relationships between people.
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''Are you in danger of wanting him to experience the countryside through your eyes, not his? Beauty is subjective, you must allow him to find its allure for himself.'‘
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I particularly empathised with Sam through this story. Her response to not having children felt a little extreme in places of course, but as a woman myself who has chosen to not have children, I could empathise with her reactions to the societal response to this choice. People can be very judgemental at times if your world view doesn't match their own, but everyone can choose how they want to live life, in a way that is right for them.
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‘what I'd really like, is the right to choose not to have children. And be respected for that choice.'
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Through her conversations with Diana, and her time spent in nature, Sam learns to view things differently, and to be more respectful in her own views of other people and their choices.
She is able to heal through growing and nurturing things that she can control, which extends to her relationships with Danny and her neighbours, as well as her garden.
Some of Danny's own revelations are very interesting and reflect the complexities of emotions and how we cope with them. Through their sharing of things previously unsaid, Sam and Danny see each other in a new light, and it really feels like they are moving into a new season of their lives together.
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‘believe in the version you want to believe in. Like the version you want to like.'
''This isn't a dream anymore. It's a reality. This is the start of our new life.'
‘But at what cost?'‘
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Thank you so much to the team at HQ Stories for sending me this ARC to read.
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We Just Clicked by Anna Bell tells the story of Izzy Brown, who has always wanted to make it as an influencer on Instagram.
She fabricates an online romance with her colleague and fellow influencer Luke so they can both boost their following and reap the rewards of their online success. But how far is she willing to go, especially when she meets someone she genuinely falls for?
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I really enjoyed this book - it was such a fun read, but also had an important moral to it.
How many of us are drawn to the glamour of the world that people show on their instagram profiles, wishing we could have that same glamorous life, sometimes forgetting it's not real.
And how many of us often feel the pressure to ‘keep up' with the online persona we've created, always focussing on that next post or perfect photo?
And without giving away any spoilers, how many of us throw ourselves into our online lives to escape the heartaches and realities of our day to day lives; to distract us from things we'd rather forget, to fill a hole when we feel something is missing, or to hide from things we'd rather not have to face.
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‘Everyone tells a few fibs on social media, right?'
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This book is due out on the 20th of August and if you're a fan of romances it is one you won't want to miss.
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I'd definitely read more books from Anna Bell as I did enjoy this one.
TRIGGER WARNING - suicide
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Thank you to Watkins Publishing and NetGalley for approving me to read this ARC of Tara Lal's story, which will be available in September.
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I admire Tara Lal for writing this book and sharing her experiences. To be so vulnerable and open is not easy, especially about topics like mental ill health and suicide, which still receive a lot of stigma even today.
People can be well-intentioned, but their responses can still be damaging because they don't know what to say, or seek to avoid the topic rather than allowing it to be discussed.
As someone who has had an immediate family member (my Mum) die by suicide, this book was very relevant to me, and I wish I'd come across it sooner.
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‘words matter and language matters when we talk about mental ill health and suicide. By changing the way we talk about mental ill health and suicide at an individual level, we can gently reframe the public narrative to effect change at organisational, community and international level.'
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Lal's portrayal of her family is very honest throughout her book. She talks candidly about her memories and experiences of her Father's mental ill health, her Mother's death while she was still very young, and her Brother's suicide.
It is a tender story, but one that is full of love and seeking understanding. I especially liked how she wove her Brother's own writing through the story as a parallel to different points in her own life.
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‘I have often asked myself whether whether my father's psychological struggles were the result of a genetic trait passed onto him from his mother or a product of the trauma he endured during his childhood. I could ask the same about my brother.'
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Lal's book spoke to me specifically as I recognise a lot of my own behaviours in her portrayal of herself: shrinking ‘to avoid conflict, to avoid being seen'; being ‘the ultimate goody-goody' in school; the anger, the crushing loss, and the worry that what has happened to her Brother could happen to her.
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‘Just as words cannot adequately describe love, so they cannot adequately convey unimaginable pain.'
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Every death that touches us is unique, and the way that it affects those involved can be very different.
Lal's growth through the story is very endearing, especially in her recognition of her sister's response to the griefs they have both suffered. Recognising the pressure her sister was under is, in a way, very generous. I often think people can be so wrapped up in their personal grief that they don't acknowledge the struggles of those around them, or that they somehow dismiss them as being less important than their own feelings.
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‘one doesn't find peace in another person or a place or even an experience. I had to find my own peace from within'.
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I would highly recommend this book, especially for anyone who has suffered grief where someone has died by suicide. Only by talking about it and normalising it more can we finally break the stigma and support each other.
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‘while I believe there is no end to grief, the same is true of healing, and with the healing comes hope, selfdiscovery and clarity.'
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IF YOU ARE HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS PLEASE SEEK HELP - Samaritans call 116 123
‘We are basically all products of each moment in our lives, sometimes becoming things we never knew we could be.'
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Thank you to 4th Estate (Harper Collins) and Netgalley for approving me to read this ARC, due out on 3rd September.
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I'm not surprised that Gabriel Krauze's book has been longlisted for the Booker Prize.
Although this is classed as fiction, it feels as though it is a memoir, giving insight into the reality of growing up in certain parts of London. There is a real authenticity to the writing.
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‘Morality is just a rule of behaviour relative to the level of danger in which individuals live. If you're living in dangerous times, you can't afford to live according to moral structures the way someone who lives in safety and peace can.'
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Krauze mixes beauty and violence seemlessly in his writing. Even amongst the brutality, he is very contemplative and poetic.
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‘broken lifts, stairs shiny with piss ... bits of empty clingfilm like little whispers going down the stairs.'
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He recognises the different versions of himself that he presents to the world, based on the specific environment; at Uni, with his friends, throughout his day to day life.
Krauze recognises that he is separate from his peers at University where it is ‘abnormal' to talk about the stabbings, shootings and robberies that constitute his life.
However, it's as though he cannot imagine any other way to be, and it is clear he does not buy in to the conformist expectations of society.
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‘Sometimes I'm not sure who I am anymore. There's all these masks we wear that confuse us. It's like looking in a mirror and if you've worn a mask for too long, you convince yourself that it's your real face you're looking at.'
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He makes a number of comments on race, class and privilege throughout the book, from people assuming he must be mixed race by virtue of his violent and criminal actions, to recognising that even despite his actions he still has a degree of privilege because of his white skin.
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‘I don't feel any remorse ... and it's not because we're evil or any basic moral bullshit like that ... She defo doesn't spend a second thinking about individuals like me, about what it's like to be me. She doesn't care about me and I don't care about her ... and it's all because we're locked away in our own little worlds.'
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Throughout Krauze's writing I especially like his reflections and the emotions he portrays. He reflects on family, lost friends, and the realities of the life he lived with truth, not just to maintain a facade.
This feels like a very timely debut, and I would highly recommend it.
‘You don't want to bring the dead back. You want to bury them and move on.'
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This is the first book I've read by Harlan Coben, and on the whole I enjoyed it.
The plot was gripping and interesting and very well executed, with a few unexpected twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout.
There were a few sub plots running through this book that overlapped and intertwined slightly in parts, but the multiple story lines made it feel more realistic.
The backstories - both in regard to the main plot with the summer camp, and in relation to Cope's previous marriage - added a lot to the story, and enhanced his character.
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‘Most people believe death is the cruelest thing. Not so. After a while, hope is a far more abusive mistress.'
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Some of the story did feel a little dated, given that this was published in 2007 - for example, the way Netflix works today isn't how Netflix worked back then, so this may confuse younger readers - but this didn't detract from the main story or plot.
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Although there were some tropes that are common in this genre (the rugged renegade detective, who shares some strong opinions and regularly comments on the physical attributes of the female characters), I took these with a pinch of salt and didn't allow them to spoil the story overall, but I do know this can be distracting for some readers.
That being said, I did agree with some feminist and classist sentiments that Coben clearly articulated, particularly in relation to Chamique Johnson's case, and to society's response to Cope's character as a single father.
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‘There are other single parents in town, mostly divorced mothers, but I get a ton of slack ... They think my male helplessness is cute. When a single mother does any of those things, she is neglectful and on the receiving end of the superior moms' scorn.'
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I would definitely read more books by Harlan Coben after reading this one, and next on my agenda is to watch the adaptation of The Woods on Netflix!
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‘Everyone lies. Everyone has stuff they keep buried. Everyone breaks laws and keeps secrets.'
‘The beginnings of a friendship are like the beginning of a book: you never know how they will turn out until the very end.'
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I was very lucky to receive an ARC of The Illustrated Child from HQ, and I am incredibly grateful. I was also approved to read the digital ARC on NetGalley.
The publication date is 29 October 2020.
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‘I loved the magic of seeing a book before anyone else: of being one of the first to try to decipher the codes within.'
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This book was a very interesting read.
One thing that really stood out to me was the descriptions and personification employed throughout the story. These made it very immersive, and I did feel as though I was transported into the magical world of Romilly's childhood.
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‘I asked obediently in a whisper. The grey sky dropped lower on the landscape as if it were listening too.'
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The images of the books within the novel are also very intriguing. The beautiful depictions of Tobias' paintings, with all the secretive minute details, made me wish these books were real. I felt like I wanted to read and explore them myself.
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‘Each picture was lit with a warm, treacly light, like diffused candlelight, or the dim flicker of an open fire.'
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It becomes clear quite quickly that things aren't as they initially appear for Romilly.
Without giving away too much, the spiralling of the plot seemed to reflect the decline of the characters themselves, and there were a few well-executed twists.
The light-hearted, whimsical opening of the novel turns into something quite dark.
I felt for Romilly, and it did feel at points like she was very much alone, despite her Father's best efforts to ensure the contrary.
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‘Back then, Dad had been full of colour and vibrancy, just like his paintings. Now, he was a spectrum of grey, and I didn't have the paints or the ability to put him right.'
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I would recommend this book, and it has been one of my favourite reads so far this year. Polly Crosby's writing stands out, and I look forward to what she produces next.
I have already pre-ordered the published print copy of The Illustrated Child for when it is released.
‘It was quiet, a bit slow, and entirely compelling to Annie.'
Thank you to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for approving me to review this ARC, due to be published 3 September.
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This is the first book I've read by Sue Miller. Although the above quote relates to Annie's thoughts on another writer's book within this novel, it could apply to the novel itself.
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In points I enjoyed this book, and I did think at times it was a very honest portrayal of a marriage (between Annie and Graham), with insight from both vantage points. Although their marriage was primarily a happy one, there were complications and compromises.
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''There were things, things we didn't have time to talk about.'
‘How could you not have time? You had years.'
‘Well, I suppose you put things off don't you? The hard things.'‘
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I think what let this book down is I didn't personally feel the characters were that believable or creative, but perhaps that is based on my own lived experience.
This was an example of a white, middle class, boomer couple. Because of that it really didn't resonate with me. Their experiences didn't feel realistic, so I couldn't relate to or care about their experiences or their reflections on their lives as much as I have in other novels of a similar ilk.
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I do think the reflections of grief within the book were well executed; the strange disjoin when someone we are close with dies, and how the grief experience is quite cyclical, being relived again and again but differently.
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‘She imagined how, in just that same way, she might wake up one day having dreamt Graham alive, and have to face her loss again. That this might happen over and over.'
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I would consider reading more books by Sue Miller, but this isn't one that I'd personally revisit.
‘Things linger after you die.'
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Thank you to netgalley and vintagebooks/penguinrandomhouse for approving me to read this ARC of As You Were by Elaine Feeney, due out 20/08/2020.
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This was a very surprising book for me. I hadn't read any of Elaine Feeney's poetry prior to reading this novel, but it is very poetically written - both in description, and at times in the structure.
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I found this book very moving and also very comical in points.
What really stood out for me was the interactions between the patients on the ward, and the insights into their lives, especially the female characters.
I found Jane's story especially sad, particularly because she is essentially on her own at the end of her life.
The companionship the patients give each other (even after some leave the hospital) felt quite realistic to me. After all, in a hospital there aren't really any secrets from those in your immediate vicinity. Sometimes it is easier to share your most intimate moments with people who are near-strangers than people who have known you.
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‘We had things in common, and we promised when we were old, we'd search each other for them.'
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The character of Sinead resonated with me in some ways. It is clear that she has suffered some traumas in her life prior to her diagnosis, and it is debatable whether she has even really acknowledged these traumas.
It seems that the few conversations she has with Alex about her father are the first time she has even shared any of this abuse.
Some of her traumas are very specific to women, such as the loss of her daughter. This felt very realistic as women are often left to feel and acknowledge miscarriages on their own - especially the lasting impacts it can have.
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‘Sometimes I felt a kind of loneliness with such a force that I needed to lie down, or vomit or take myself into the sea.'
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Overall this was a great depiction of love, and loss, and life in between.
I would highly recommend this book and hope Feeney has plans to write more novels.
‘Not everyone knows who you really are.'
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The thing that stood out for me personally in Swing Time was the comments it made on class, feminism, and race.
I didn't personally love the plot, though I did find the relationship between the narrator and Tracey interesting, particularly when their childhood was depicted.
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‘It was one of those moments ... when we, the students, were reminded of the fundamental innocence of our teachers.'
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Often, the people in positions of power and authority over us cannot fathom our own lived experiences; whether this be teachers or parents.
There are many occasions in real life where teachers will ‘innocently' (ignorantly) asks members of a class to share memories from their childhood for example, without pausing to consider that not everyone has a happy childhood that they wish to share or relive memories from.
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‘I think I was strange to my mother and to my father, a changeling, belonging to neither of them ... this is of course true of all children - we are not our parents and they are not us.'
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Through the entirety of this novel, the narrator does not seem to fully recognise who she is. She moves through life without a specific direction, failing tests to spite her mother who tries to push her towards opportunities she herself never had, and finds herself in a job where she never feels that she fits.
I think this resonates with a lot of readers, as people often feel the odd one out, or as though they don't belong when it appears so easy for others.
All of us have a degree of imposter syndrome as we navigate through life.
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‘A truth was being revealed to me: that I had always tried to attach myself to the light of other people, that I never had any light of my own. I experienced myself as a kind of shadow.'
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I did personally feel this book was too long with not enough engaging plot, as it did seem to drag in parts for me, but I would definitely consider reading more books by Zadie Smith.
Rivers Solomon,
Daveed Diggs,+2 more
‘When you are in pain, sometimes the only escape is another different pain.'
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This was a very short book, but very intense at the same time.
The story was such an interesting concept, and I liked how the experiences relayed and the feelings it produced were so intense, yet it related to memory, and so felt almost like a fever dream.
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‘They knew things in their bodies, bits of the past absorbed into them and transformed into instincts.'
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I also re-listened to the This American Life podcast episode We Are In The Future (623), with the original song ‘The Deep' by Clppng, which inspired this book.
I hadn't heard much about afrofuturism before this, so I would definitely recommend that people listen to the episode and learn about this genre.
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‘One can only go for so long without asking who am I? Where do I come from? What does all this mean?'
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I'd definitely re-read this book at some point and would recommend it to anyone interested in sci-fi, fantasy, afrofuturism, and themes of race and gender.
I's also be interested in reading more work from Rivers Solomon.
‘Noone had ever sat him down and told him everything, beginning to end, the whole truth of it and he had never asked. He had never wanted to make his mother cry.'
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I was very lucky to receive an ARC of this book from HQ Stories, and overall I enjoyed it.
In parts it felt very literary, and the character reflections were honest and heartfelt.
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I did feel (especially at the start) that the characters of Isak and Andrew were disjointed from the rest of the story. Having finished the book I understand and recognise the important part that these characters play in relation to the plot, but this did feel a little confusing to begin with.
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The story on the whole was very easy to read, and I liked the symbolism of how the tube lines were confusing, at times meandering, and forming a complex warren underground.
This was reflected in the lives of the characters, and how they intersect and overlap with each other; how life itself is a complex and meandering journey that doesn't always allow for closure or structure, and how things outside of our control can cause disruption.
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I felt this book did portray grief very well.
Each grief that is felt throughout life is different, and even when grief is shared, it is felt differently to the relevant parties involved.
The character arcs were apparent in this theme: to begin with they were all on their separate and somewhat insular journeys, and over time by talking about the different realities and experiences they felt, there did feel to be some closure and healing.
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I haven't read any books quite like this one before and would definitely consider reading more from Alyson Rudd.
‘Wait, aren't you the girl who...?'
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Overall I would say I enjoyed this book. The structure was interesting in the way the perspectives changed between Eve the author, Eve in real life, and Jim (both reading the book and irl).
The parallels between the two characters were interesting, and this structure was certainly unique.
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However, while the narrative was very tense and gripping at times, there were parts of the story that were far too extrapolative for me to feel fully immersed in the story.
It felt as though some of this extrapolation was moving the plot forward, rather than it feeling more organic.
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There were a few elements of the story that also didn't quite feel believable to me. I do however appreciate this is a work of fiction, and that part of the plot is highlighting the sloppiness and ineptness of the serial killer.
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I did think throughout that the idea of the murderer being within the Gardai drew comparisons with the Golden State Killer, and noticed at the end the reference to Michelle Mcnamara's ‘I'll Be Gone In The Dark'. I did also pick up on a reference very similar to the title of Billy Jensen's book.
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I definitely think that anyone who is interested in true crime stories, and a lot of listeners to the podcast My Favourite Murder, would definitely enjoy this book.
‘I think we all need to scrap this idea that normality is something to strive towards. I personally cannot pinpoint or prescribe what it is to be normal'.
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What can I say about Queenie that hasn't already been said by countless others?
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For me, I think this is such an important book because of its normality.
It is rare to truly feel as though you are in the protagonist's shoes, but Carty-Williams achieves that in ways that so many others haven't been able to.
There were moments while reading this that I had to put the book down, and pause, and take a deep breath.
The portrayal of the experiences of this young woman are more realistic than anything else I've read. The violence and treatment that Queenie is subjected to, that is traumatic, but so normalised in today's society, felt realistic.
While I'm not a black woman, and so can't say I've personally experienced the microagressions (and outright blatant racism), I have been witness to them.
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‘Any trauma in childhood will present itself in adulthood.'
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I think so many women will connect with Queenie, and will see aspects of themselves in her.
The themes of racism, feminism, love, family, history, legacy and friendship are so richly woven through this story, and at moments I was angry, other times I cried, and at other points I laughed out loud.
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I think everyone should read this book. Young women will automatically bond with the character and recognise some of their own experiences in what she is going through, but others can learn from this book; what it feels like to be a young woman, and in particular a young black woman, and take note to be and do better.
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‘You're full of fight, Queenie. Full of fight.'
‘What comfort there is in knowing that trees, sunlight, birds go on, indifferent to the life in this house, or in the heart of the woman at its heart.'
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This was an interesting story; a historical fiction epistolary novel, of a woman who is trapped by her situation, but finds subtle ways of escaping her confines.
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‘That word, wilful, gave me a picture of myself I did not quite recognise. Knew I had a temper and quick wit ... But now I knew that you called that wilful. And being wilful - I heard it in my mother's tone - was something that made you unattractive, unpleasant, unlikeable.'
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From the outset Elizabeth doesn't have a particularly happy life. The loss of her father, and later the loss of her grandfather as guardian, leave her feeling isolated and lonely. She believes herself to be the owner of her own destiny, yet is still bound by expectations of her gender.
Some elements of the story do present Elizabeth as a victim of circumstance, and yet at the end she comes into her own more. Not necessarily as a feminist character, but more as a moral voice for the reader.
Her reflections on nature and the part humans play, particularly in relation to the natural order of things, is well depicted throughout.
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‘I do not turn away. I am prepared to look in the eye what we have done. That repairs no part of the sorrow of it, I know. But it is the first thing, the first hard truth, without which no repair can ever be hoped for.'
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With themes of race, history and feminism, I do think a lot of readers would enjoy this book. I'd recommend it to fans of historical fiction, but wouldn't look to read it again myself, though it was an easy to read story.
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‘Every person - even a loved person, and I was not loved - was alone.'
‘In this book there are many lions and lionesses, and they are all telling their stories and unashamedly ‘chatting their business.'‘
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I found this to be a very insightful and important collection of accounts, collated and smoothly presented by Grant.
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The flow of the stories, from initially travelling to Britain, the changes and challenges the individuals faced, and ending on the Windrush scandal, depicts the journey of each life in an interesting way, and the different voices kept my engagement.
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‘These were young and dynamic adventurers... they succumbed to the urge to leave. They called it ‘England Fever'... So many were ‘gone to foreign' that a joke quickly emerged and was heard throughout the region: ‘Will the last person out please turn off all the lights?'‘
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The separation of families in an endeavour to make a better life in Britain felt particularly challenging. For both generations (parents and children) sacrifices were made.
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‘I was told that, if you walk in fear, fear follows you. I fear nothing, I don't go with fear in my heart.'
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The depiction of the poor treatment these individuals faced, as well as the joyful focus of living life and making the best of things, shines through in their overall joy for life.
The stories of their experiences are important, and while things seem to not be as overtly racist today, it is clear that so much more still needs to change.
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‘I felt extremely angry about Windrush scandal... How can that be done to people who've been living here all along?'
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The stories spanning the generations of families impacted by the Windrush reflect the parallels and differences between the older and younger family members, highlighting the changing views and attitudes, in the same way as for any other families.
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‘The market, I'm thinking with hindsight, was a really buzzing hive of cultural activity but, coming from a ten-year-old's perspective on a Saturday morning, it was a pain in the arse and you couldn't wait to get home to watch TV.'
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Overall I'd absolutely recommend this book. I think it is really important that these stories are shared and heard, and that they continue to be amplified and acted upon.
I'd recommend it to anyone to read.
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‘And so what more was there to discuss? ‘Argument done,' as Jamaicans say.'
‘Girl, it's time to step into your own light and stop being afraid.'
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I enjoyed this book. It was very easy to read, and I got through it very quickly.
The characters were really well-rounded, and the themes of family, heritage and love shone through in the story.
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‘The same wisdom I whisper to Babygirl every now and then, a reminder of where, and who, we are from.'
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I really liked Emoni as the protagonist.
She hasn't had the easiest life, and as someone who has lost a parent, this element of the story really resonated with me, and the absence felt quite realistic and believable.
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‘Can you miss someone you never met? Of course, the answer is yes. I've made up a story about who my mother was, and I miss that person whether it's how my actual mom would have been or not.'
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Emoni's life experiences and the themes of racism in the book are very realistic. The examples of the micro-aggressions that form part of her daily life will no doubt be eye-opening for some readers.
Her internal debates (and sometimes external with other characters) about her own history and heritage highlight the difficulties of understanding who you are as an individual. This parallels with her teenage Mum experiences and coming of age; of learning who she is and building confidence in herself despite other peoples' judgements of her.
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‘I know a name alone can't guarantee new opportunities, but at the very least it'll give her a chance to get in the room, to let other people realize she's someone they want to learn more about.'
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Emoni's character arc was well executed - towards the end of the story her relationships improve with her family, because she bravely chooses to tackle things head on, and keep moving forward.
Her father and grandmother are honest with her because they start to view her as an adult and respect her views and decisions.
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‘when you're learning, you need to know the rules before you break them.'
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I would recommend this book to anyone interested in themes of feminism and racism, and anyone who likes young adult genres. I will definitely be reading more of Acevedo's books.
‘I understand why sin eaters were made. Carrying such feelings is too much for one little heart, too much for one body. There must be some hope of shedding regret, grief, sorrow, sloughing them off like a skin and going into death free and light. Else we'd never be able to live.'
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I enjoyed this book and found it very readable, even with some of the older language and colloquialisms.
It felt like a mixture of genres, with both historical fiction and mystery elements.
The story is essentially about a young girl (May) who is sentenced to become a sin eater, but does not understand why.
In seeking to unearth the family secrets of others, she unearths family secrets of her own, and in doing so comes to understand her fate.
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‘His shadow stayed in the house for weeks. It wasn't dark like a shadow, just an empty place in the shape of my da. I would see it out of the side of my eye and turn knowing he should be there. But when I looked there wasn't anything.'
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I didn't know much about sin eaters before reading this book, and found it really interesting learning about this historic practice. Especially the fact that only women could be sin eaters, and that this was often given as a sentence.
I found the conflicting reactions to May to be quite interesting. Most of society shuns her, and she finds herself in the company of outcasts, as noone else will interact with her.
However, she brings plenty of comfort to people when they need it most, absolving them of their sins and unburdening their consciences before they die. After all, in death we are all equal, regardless of class, wealth or status.
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‘I hear the recitations of all the women set to die... Many... sinned out of anger because folk were cruel or things unfair.'
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I did enjoy this book overall, but I probably wouldn't read it again personally.
If you are into mystery/thriller and historical fiction I would definitely recommend it.
‘Life was a hard struggle, a long dark night, and we had best be thankful for those left to us to love.'
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Thank you to @quercusbooks and @netgalley for approving my request to read this book, which I loved. It felt like a mixture of genres; somewhere between thriller and literary fiction, telling the story of a man who murders his family. But more than that it is a story about family itself, the threads that bind us, the things we inherit, and the memories/past we try to escape.
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I felt that Wait's depiction of all the characters and their lives, including the portrayal of their parents, was very well executed.
The impact parents can have on their children, particularly problematic parents, cannot be understated. She depicts this in a way that is both factual but also gentle and tender. After all we are all products of our upbringing, and this is something we largely cannot control.
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‘Katrina was aware that she had reached adulthood with no clear sense of her own personality, no real idea of her likes and dislikes, or even where her own edges were.'
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The initial story feels like it's centred primarily on the men in the story, with Tommy as the surviving son, and his gentle uncle Malcolm, but I really liked the insight into Katrina's life too.
Given her mother's influence on her in her formative years, it isn't too surprising that she chose the husband she did, even with the personality and characteristics he had. Some of us, it seems, are doomed to repeat cycles and patterns of inherited behaviour.
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I loved the ending, and how hopeful it was. I think the emotional aspects of this story, including the acknowledgement of what happened and the ‘healing' the characters go through is very true to life. Not everyone is doomed to repeat the same mistakes and behaviours, despite their upbringing. Some of us are able to break free from it.
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‘the truth was what we felt, not what we knew.'
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I would definitely recommend this book. A very enjoyable read that had me hooked very quickly. I'd also definitely read more of Rebecca Wait's work.
‘Didn't everything over and over surface and come again?'
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I need to start with saying how much I LOVED this book. This has been my favourite read of 2020 so far.
I was very lucky to be approved to read this book via Harper Collins on NetGalley.
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There are a few plots running through the book, centred around Rue as the main protagonist.
Themes include history, enslavement, love, family, magic/superstition, religion, culture, and feminism, and it was such a rich tapestry of story telling.
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Rue as a character is very relatable. Part of the story depicts her childhood, and other parts depict her experiences as an adult. In both settings there are secrets and things she seeks to understand that she doesn't come to fully comprehend.
In this sense it is a coming of age story, the same as anyone else's, despite the circumstances and some of the horror that she lives through.
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There are several strong female characters in the book, and elements of ignorance and privilege are highlighted in how the characters live their lives. Especially in the similarities and differences that run parallel in Rue and Varina's lives.
‘It had not occurred to Rue that Varina didn't know about the blood the way she did. She herself could not remember the first time she's understood that being a woman meant being bloodied, but then she could not remember the first time she spoke, or the first time she knew herself for herself - some knowing just felt like it had always been.'
Both are trapped in their circumstances, and while at times the nature of their relationship is in question, they take care of each other in numerous ways.
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A key obvious element of the book deals with racism. Not just the references to the KKK and the violence, but also in the microaggressions which has never felt more relevant.
‘Varina had never had to know anything up there in the House; she could close the blinds if she didn't like what she was seeing, could turn away in her featherbed.'
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The complexities of love, particularly in relation to family and children, are well woven through the relationships depicted in this story.
The relationship between May Belle and Rue is complicated as mother and daughter; and it doesn't always feel like a particularly loving and nurturing relationship.
The relationship between Ma Doe and all the children, including her feelings towards Varina, are also an interesting reflection of love, despite the hurt that is caused.
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I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others. I would also re-read it at a point in the future.
I received this book through NetGalley.
While I do like YA literary fiction/coming of age stories, this novel felt a little flat for me.
I liked the family dynamic and the experience that Sol is going through; a lot of young people are no doubt experiencing something similar and so in that way woulf probably find it quite relatable.
I also liked some of the more existential discussions between the characters and the general comments on life and the diversity of individual experience.
However, I didn't feel that the characters were very substantial. I know when people are young and in college they are still ‘finding themselves' and working out who they are, but there was so much of the characters and plot that felt glossed over.
There didn't really seem to be any reason for the characters to join the history club or to participate in the activities. There wasn't anything that really substantiated why they might be happy in their lives and rebelling in some way.
I felt like Historically Inaccurate real potential, but just could have been a lot better.
‘Would things improve for women... My hope was that they would find the courage within themselves that we women have always had: the courage to know and believe that we exist, we are here, we are powerful, we are strong; the strength to stand up to a world that would continue to try to keep them in the kitchen.'
I was approved to read this book/collection of essays through Netgalley.
I enjoyed reading this story which felt like a memoir of sorts from Carolyn Holbrook.
The depiction of her life, with all its setbacks, limitations, and the regular racist microaggressions she has been subject to were both eye opening and in some ways unsurprising. Yet at the same time the book was very hopeful.
I did feel that the start of the book with the mention of the apparition felt a bit different to the rest of this book. I would have liked to have known more about that particular story personally and the lineage and history there.
I did also like the many references and quotes through the book from other writers. They feel particularly relevant at the moment.
‘We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty' - Maya Angelou.
This book also spoke to me from a feminist perspective and the additional limitations enforced on women, particularly black women and women of colour.
‘What is it that will set us free?'
I would recommend this book, but probably wouldn't re-read again.
I borrowed this book from a best friend and really enjoyed it.
It was very easy to read. The plot, pace and timeline structure were really well done and overall I did enjoy it.
I probably wouldn't read it again, only because this genre isn't my personal favourite, but I would definitely recommend it to people to read. It would be a great read for anyone who likes romance, chick-lit or a nice relaxing holiday read.
I would definitely read more books by Dorothy Koomson in the future.
It's not just America.
This book has been on my shelf for a while, and although I've read a lot of books about inclusivity and from diverse writers, this really spoke to me. The content being focussed on Britain probably helped make it particularly relatable, as there is often a tendency that people see things happening ‘across the pond' and they think it doesn't apply here. It absolutely does.
The history at the start of the book is shameful. It should be taught broadly as part of our history. It shouldn't take someone having to go out of their way to research and report on it because it is hidden away.
The image of the Brooks ship being used as a selling point made me cry. And if you can callously shrug it off as being ‘in the past' then you aren't just not listening, you are acting without empathy and reinforcing the structural racism that persists and allows others to suffer so you can benefit in so many invisible ways.
I've been quite angry at lack of true inclusivity in my own localised environments recently when I've tried to assert myself and speak out, and I was struggling to recognise and articulate why. This book has helped me understand my frustrations; it is the intersectionality that persists. I'm tired of straight, white, cis, able-bodied women patting themselves on the back and believing that they are inclusive because they only support other women that look and sound like them. And that they believe anyone who challenges this is just a problem.
This is such an important book and I would urge everyone to read it.
