Hi all
Been binge reading and I am super glad to be back on the wagon. Here is a quick round up of the books I went through in past couple months. From classics to latest popular fiction, go on to read the short roundups/reviews and I hope I make you pick one, let me know if I do.
Luckiest Girl Alive:
This is a quick, light, travel read. One more thing, THE “Reese Witherspoon” is turning it into a MOVIE!!!
The story reveals around Ani FaNelli , who is a successful New Yorker working as an editor for a women’s magazine, engaged to be married to a handsome, rich and successful man. She has everything a girl can dream of but she has a difficult and secretive past.
The chapters from her past are slowly revealed as the story moves. When she was a child, she moves to a new, private and better known school where she gets sexually assaulted by a group of boys. Her only good friend in the school, Arthur gets bullied which leads to a mass shooting and things change for these teenagers. This story of mass shooting is being made into a documentary, all during Ani’s wedding time and that is what will reveal the truth to the world.
The Eternal Lightness of Being:
I want to be honest here, this book is deep and philosophical and I wouldn’t do it any justice by putting my two cents here. Kundera wrote this book in the 80s and it revolves around the topic whether we should take life lightly or heavily? In abrupt chapters, the author describes the life of Tomas and Tereza along with their pet Kerenin.
I came across this post and I think it does a commendable job to describe the gist and lessons to take away from the book, so pls. go read it even if you don’t pick the book:
https://reasonandmeaning.com/2015/11/28/summary-of-milan-kunderas-the-unbearable-lightness-of-being/
Normal People:
Sally Ronson is growing on this gen and now I know why! I do not by any means consider myself a book critic but I keep up with what is going on with few major publications around, esp. what the women authors are penning both online and offline. Her writing is quite simple and relatable for the modern era kids. This book is her second which follows the relationship of Marianne and Connel as they move from high school to same college. Connel is a soccer player and famous in school and secretly dates Marianne who is far more richer and up in status as compared to him. The tables turn when they both go to same college and he finds himself on the other side of the court.
More importantly, it finely portrays how the journey &complexity of their love, the misunderstandings, the difference in their social status and Marianne’s expectation form the relationship and judgement of self-worth (all the result of how she had been treated at her home by his brother and mother).
I have heard it is turning into a television series now, will be in a lookout for that. Also , currently reading “Conversation with Friends”, her first book 🙂
Circe:
Using Homer’s Odyssey as the base for the characters, Madelline Miller has created this amazing piece revolving around Circe, who is the daughter of Helios the sun god is born a witch and so are her siblings. Being an immortal and a witch doesn’t sit well with the gods, esp. Zeus and she is sent to exile in the island of Aiaia. The story captures Circe’s journey over many hundred years, the lovers she comes across, her adventures in the island and beyond and finally the birth of her son which changes her life once and forever. The novel is gripping & with unexpected turns. Will definitely leave you empowered, especially if you are a women, to fear none and believe in your powers and strength and practice the same.
I absolutely loved this book and the characters. They have definitely sent me towards a path of finding more about the history of Greek Gods and picking up her first novel ” the song of Achilles”.
xo
Shivani
fixingitmyway 