Everything I read in February 2019
One of my goals for February was to vary my reading, incorporating graphic novels into my reading choices. I managed to read a fair few and I'm on the lookout for more. Admittedly, I'm still fairly new to the world of graphic novels so I'm trying everything to see what I enjoy. I'll split the graphic novels into their own section after the novels/books. I also wanted to implement some more poetry in there too although I didn't get to read too much of it, I will try harder next month to read some more.
Women & Power: A Manifesto, Mary Beard, 4 stars
A short exploration of the role of ancient attitudes towards women and how it affects the present perceptions of women in power. Women were prohibited from playing civic roles, speaking in public like the men of the age, and the imagery used to depict the women who tried to speak out are still used today. Beard calls for a reorganisation of the power structure, it needs to be redefined to allow women to participate in an inherently male arena. I found the parallels between ancient and modern attitudes to women fascinating, particularly how women have taken some of the imagery and used it against their detractors.
How Do We Look: The Body, the Divine and The Question of Civilisation, Mary Beard, 4 stars
In Beard's usual chatty style, we have a two-part book which looks at ancient perceptions of humans in art and the portrayal of humanity in religious art. Part one looks at the development of the human form within the art, from the early giant Olmec head to the Romans and Greeks, and how their societies influenced the art. Part two focuses on the religious art of the major world religions, how there are no depictions of Allah with Islam, to looking at the destruction of religious art during the Reformation. An informative, quick guide to early art history and is perfect for anyone looking for a beginner's guide that doesn't get too in depth.
This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, Adam Kay, 5 stars
A wonderfully poignant book detailing the "adventures" of Dr Kay as he moves up the ranks of becoming a doctor to a registrar. This book is hilarious and sad and makes you appreciate everything the NHS does. I frequently shared several of the anecdotes with others as I went along, from the removal of certain objects to the other crazy things patients would do. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking to learn a little bit more about becoming a doctor and working in the medical field, with all its ups and downs.
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert, 4 stars
Picked up on a whim when I was in a charity shop, having heard about it on Booktube, I thought I'd give it a go. In a similar vein to "Lady Chatterley's Lover", this is the story of Emma Bovary, who is unsatisfied in her marriage and looks for excitement elsewhere. It's not a happy book, Emma makes many mistakes and there is a lot of inevitable heartbreak. For every happy moment, happiness is cruelly snatched away from a character. I preferred this to "Lady Chatterley's Lover", Emma was more likeable than Constance when I read that book a few years ago. I'd recommend this as one of the easier classics to get in to and if you liked "Lady Chatterley's Lover" you would enjoy this one.
Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen, 3 stars
My second ever Jane Austen novel and I was a bit disappointed. I loved "Pride and Prejudice" and this one doesn't compare, granted it is an earlier work and so Austen's style is quite as well developed. Catherine Morland isn't a very compelling main character and many of the others around her are quite flat also. I enjoyed the first third of the novel and it picked up a little towards the end. A satire of the gothic genre, there are subtle nods to the gothic but not quite enough. A lot of time is spent on classic Austen tropes like balls and relationship drama. The lack of action is probably a satire of the genre again but it makes the book drag, it feels like nothing happens and while it is clever, it doesn't make for an enjoyable read. An easy enough classic to read but I'd find it hard to recommend.
Graphic Novels/Comics
When looking for a graphic novel to start with I thought I'd try Tomb Raider. I've watched all of RadBrad's playthroughs of the reboot of the Tomb Raider games and I decided to try the graphic novels. Lara Croft investigates a mysterious mushroom that has something to do with a mysterious organisation who want to harness the power of these mushrooms for themselves. You don't need to be super familiar with the game series to enjoy this one, there are the odd references to the game series but you should be fine otherwise.
Tomb Raider: The Beginning, Rhianna Pratchett, 4 stars
A brief prequel to the first Tomb Raider game in the reboot trilogy. We get to see how the expedition to Yamatai began, giving the backstories of the various crew members. Lara doesn't feature much in this one but it is cool to see more of the other characters that in the game we don't spend much time with.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, 4 stars
Having finished the Netflix series on Sabrina, I wanted something to keep me going until the next season. The comics are very dark, even darker than the tv show at times. Both are great in their own ways and the tv show does follow several of the plots from the comics, although it does deviate/leave some things out. I wasn't a massive fan of the art style in this one but overall I really enjoyed it.
Lara Croft and The Frozen Omen, Corinna Sara Bechko, 3 stars
Yet another Tomb Raider graphic novel. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much, the plot wasn't very memorable and neither were any of the new characters. It was okay but I wouldn't recommend it as a must read.
The Photographer of Mauthausen, Salva Rubio, 4 stars
After reading "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" I wanted to read more books about the Holocaust and the lesser-known stories. Francisco Boix was the photographer of Mauthausen concentration camp, who is made to take photos of the deceased in the camp. There are some truly awful, sadistic characters in this novel, that make you hate the Nazi regime even more than you thought already could. The art in this one reflects the true horrors of the camp that words cannot describe, they show the enormity of what was going on in these camps. I would highly recommend this for anyone wanting something to read after "The Tattooist of Auschwitz".
What I want to read in March
This time I thought I would share the five books I want to get to in March. I will most likely read more than this but this is the minimum amount of reading I have set for myself:
Books
Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami, 4 stars
Set in Tokyo, Toru is a college student who is caught between two very different women as he tries to adapt to the world of higher education. This book haunted me for a while after I read it, Murakami's writing is wonderful and his characters are intriguing. For every moment of heartbreak, there is some hope in this story, it is an emotional rollercoaster that I would highly recommend.
Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell, 5 stars
An unsettling dystopian novel that highlights how easy it would be for political regimes to assume total control over society. The creation of terms like"Newspeak" where the changing of language to reinforce certain ideas, creeped me out as I could see how this could be implemented into even today's society. Children reporting their parents to the authorities and becoming steadily indoctrinated into the Party, parallelled the use of the Hitler Youth in Nazi Germany, how children are a vital part of building a new society as they are less likely to question. I plan on reading more George Orwell after this, "Animal Farm" was another amazing book of Orwell's and I hope to get to "Down and Out in Paris and London" this year.
The Tattoo of Auschwitz, Heather Morris, 4 stars
Told by Lale Solokov, a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, this book will disturb you with its violence and lift you with its hope for Lale and Gita. The story itself is true with some literary license taken. Morris was originally a screenwriter and this shows in the book. Some of the characters aren't very well developed and there's a distinct lack of world building. A story that very much needed to be told, although the way that it was told could do with some improvement.
Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 4 stars
Dostoyevsky has been sat on shelves for many years, taunting me with the number of times I said I'd pick one of his books up. I'd planned on reading something by Dostoyevsky in February although I was undecided on which to start with, then I saw a Pewdiepie video talking about "Crime and Punishment" and I thought I'll start with this one. Morality is the central theme of this book, particularly the ethics of murder and punishment. Raskolnikov is tormented by what he has done and attempts to justify what he has done, making the reader question their own morality and ethics.
The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova, 2 stars (DNF)
My first DNF (did not finish for the uninitiated) of the year. This sounded so much like something I would love, with other reviewers comparing it to "Labyrinth" and "The DaVinci Code", books which I greatly enjoyed. However, this lengthy volume did not compare to those aforementioned works for me. The pacing was way off, it was very choppy, jumping from the action with one POV to background context with another character. There was little difference in the voices of the POVs, they blended into one indistinguishable blur. Meandering between different locations in an attempt to build tension doesn't pay off, this book takes far too long to get going. So much potential in the story of Vlad the Impaler but ultimately it fails to be executed properly.
Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, 4 stars
I want to read more Shakespeare and become comfortable with his writing style as there are some wonderful lines in his works. A tragic tale of young lovers that most of the world is familiar with. I found Juliet to be a lot more likeable than Romeo, indeed he is even called out on his behaviour multiple times during the play. If you're looking to get into Shakespeare I'd recommend starting with the one as the story is easy enough to follow and the language isn't too confusing.
The Sun and Her Flowers, Rupi Kaur, 5 stars
My only poetry read this month, I picked up as a short poetry collection to get me back into reading poetry again. Following the collapse of a relationship and the building up of a person afterwards is the focus of this collection, looking at the themes of ancestry and healing. Some of the poems will make you feel warm inside, others will make you despair at the world and feel for the heartbreak of the poet. For someone beginning their journey into poetry, I would highly recommend Kaur's works as they are very easy to understand and help you to work out what kinds of themes you want in your poetry.
Katharine the Virgin Widow, Jean Plaidy, 4 Stars
A refreshing look at Katharine of Aragon which focuses on her earlier life and how she struggled when Prince Arthur died and was left alone in a foreign country. Having read many of Plaidy's works, there is the usual variety of perspectives, with the hope of building up the world that the main characters are in, although it can slow down the narrative as you keep track of all the characters. One of my favourite Plaidy works so far, I'd recommend her Tudor Court novels if you like Philippa Gregory and want something read to prepare you for the new Starz adaptation of Gregory's "The Constant Princess" (which I plan to reread in March).
The Monk, Matthew Lewis, 4 stars
One of the classic gothic novels that anyone looking to get into the gothic genre I would recommend should read. Very dark in every sense of the word, some acts in this book would disturb even modern audiences and the main character, Ambrosio, is utterly despicable and fascinating at the same time. Actions have consequences and we see the power of this phrase completely in this book, with some characters meeting their deserved fates.
A Sucky Love Story, Brittani Louise Taylor, 4 stars
I watched the Shane Dawson documentaries with Brittani and I wanted to find out more. A remarkable story that sends chills down your spine in places at how close she was to everything being taken away from her. Granted that she is not a "professional author", and so the writing was a bit juvenile in places and some parts could really have done with being reworked, this is still very much worth reading, as a warning to those who think there is something suspicious about the person they are seeing. A very easy read and I would recommend it if you watched the Shane Dawson videos and have questions as she is able to answer them in this book.
Women & Power: A Manifesto, Mary Beard, 4 stars
A short exploration of the role of ancient attitudes towards women and how it affects the present perceptions of women in power. Women were prohibited from playing civic roles, speaking in public like the men of the age, and the imagery used to depict the women who tried to speak out are still used today. Beard calls for a reorganisation of the power structure, it needs to be redefined to allow women to participate in an inherently male arena. I found the parallels between ancient and modern attitudes to women fascinating, particularly how women have taken some of the imagery and used it against their detractors.
How Do We Look: The Body, the Divine and The Question of Civilisation, Mary Beard, 4 stars
In Beard's usual chatty style, we have a two-part book which looks at ancient perceptions of humans in art and the portrayal of humanity in religious art. Part one looks at the development of the human form within the art, from the early giant Olmec head to the Romans and Greeks, and how their societies influenced the art. Part two focuses on the religious art of the major world religions, how there are no depictions of Allah with Islam, to looking at the destruction of religious art during the Reformation. An informative, quick guide to early art history and is perfect for anyone looking for a beginner's guide that doesn't get too in depth.
This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, Adam Kay, 5 stars
A wonderfully poignant book detailing the "adventures" of Dr Kay as he moves up the ranks of becoming a doctor to a registrar. This book is hilarious and sad and makes you appreciate everything the NHS does. I frequently shared several of the anecdotes with others as I went along, from the removal of certain objects to the other crazy things patients would do. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking to learn a little bit more about becoming a doctor and working in the medical field, with all its ups and downs.
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert, 4 stars
Picked up on a whim when I was in a charity shop, having heard about it on Booktube, I thought I'd give it a go. In a similar vein to "Lady Chatterley's Lover", this is the story of Emma Bovary, who is unsatisfied in her marriage and looks for excitement elsewhere. It's not a happy book, Emma makes many mistakes and there is a lot of inevitable heartbreak. For every happy moment, happiness is cruelly snatched away from a character. I preferred this to "Lady Chatterley's Lover", Emma was more likeable than Constance when I read that book a few years ago. I'd recommend this as one of the easier classics to get in to and if you liked "Lady Chatterley's Lover" you would enjoy this one.
Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen, 3 stars
My second ever Jane Austen novel and I was a bit disappointed. I loved "Pride and Prejudice" and this one doesn't compare, granted it is an earlier work and so Austen's style is quite as well developed. Catherine Morland isn't a very compelling main character and many of the others around her are quite flat also. I enjoyed the first third of the novel and it picked up a little towards the end. A satire of the gothic genre, there are subtle nods to the gothic but not quite enough. A lot of time is spent on classic Austen tropes like balls and relationship drama. The lack of action is probably a satire of the genre again but it makes the book drag, it feels like nothing happens and while it is clever, it doesn't make for an enjoyable read. An easy enough classic to read but I'd find it hard to recommend.
Graphic Novels/Comics
Tomb Raider, Vol 1: Spore, Mariko Tamaki, 4 stars
When looking for a graphic novel to start with I thought I'd try Tomb Raider. I've watched all of RadBrad's playthroughs of the reboot of the Tomb Raider games and I decided to try the graphic novels. Lara Croft investigates a mysterious mushroom that has something to do with a mysterious organisation who want to harness the power of these mushrooms for themselves. You don't need to be super familiar with the game series to enjoy this one, there are the odd references to the game series but you should be fine otherwise.
Tomb Raider: The Beginning, Rhianna Pratchett, 4 stars
A brief prequel to the first Tomb Raider game in the reboot trilogy. We get to see how the expedition to Yamatai began, giving the backstories of the various crew members. Lara doesn't feature much in this one but it is cool to see more of the other characters that in the game we don't spend much time with.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, 4 stars
Having finished the Netflix series on Sabrina, I wanted something to keep me going until the next season. The comics are very dark, even darker than the tv show at times. Both are great in their own ways and the tv show does follow several of the plots from the comics, although it does deviate/leave some things out. I wasn't a massive fan of the art style in this one but overall I really enjoyed it.
Lara Croft and The Frozen Omen, Corinna Sara Bechko, 3 stars
Yet another Tomb Raider graphic novel. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much, the plot wasn't very memorable and neither were any of the new characters. It was okay but I wouldn't recommend it as a must read.
The Photographer of Mauthausen, Salva Rubio, 4 stars
After reading "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" I wanted to read more books about the Holocaust and the lesser-known stories. Francisco Boix was the photographer of Mauthausen concentration camp, who is made to take photos of the deceased in the camp. There are some truly awful, sadistic characters in this novel, that make you hate the Nazi regime even more than you thought already could. The art in this one reflects the true horrors of the camp that words cannot describe, they show the enormity of what was going on in these camps. I would highly recommend this for anyone wanting something to read after "The Tattooist of Auschwitz".
What I want to read in March
This time I thought I would share the five books I want to get to in March. I will most likely read more than this but this is the minimum amount of reading I have set for myself:
- The Complete Poems, Emily Bronte
- Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys
- The Queen's Favourites, Jean Plaidy
- The Secret History, Donna Tartt
- The Constant Princess, Philippa Gregory
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