Winter Reading
It’s been way too long since I’ve made time to review books. Instead of trying to catch up, I’m going to mention the books about which I have something to say.
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
When I bought this book, I didn’t expect to discover a new 1984 or Handmaid’s Tale, but I did! It’s about a society in which people with no children and no super-valuable job become “dispensible” at age 50. (Unmarried artists and writers are prime candidates.) It’s disturbing, sad and brilliantly done, the sort of story that lingers. I think it’s important and the sort of book everyone should read, but be warned, it’s difficult to take.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
I don’t read much YA, but these convinced me I should. The Book Thief is about a German girl who hides a Jew in her basement during WWII. It’s told from the point-of-view of Death. (So cool.) Life As We Knew It follows a family through an apocalypse and then a post-apocalyptic world. Yet, it’s a small, personal story. Very well done. *recommends*
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
This sequel to Oryx and Crake occurs during the same timeline but follows different characters. A couple of the important people and events from Oryx and Crake show up along the way. I LOVE Atwood’s writing. I love her ideas. I love how she holds everything back until the very end yet somehow keeps me reading. I love that her characters are so real and flawed. She’s dark, yet hopeful.
So, yeah, I loved this book. I recommend reading Oryx and Crake first, though.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I hadn’t read any Dan Brown before this, I merely saw the movies. I really enjoyed the movies, but I didn’t think I’d enjoy the books. I was wrong! Brown may use too-familiar plot conventions and a cliche here and there, but man oh man, his books make me *think* (and I like to think!) This one involves noetics, the Masons and Washington D.C. I read quickly and enjoyed every second.
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
*happy sigh* I adore Sarah Dunant. This story is set in a convent and is told by an alchemist nun (unusual, I suspect). It’s also about an unwilling nun being sold to the convent and how she deals with losing the love of her life. It’s a beautiful, sad and ironic story about love and religion, and it’s great historical fiction. Highly, highly recommended.
Oh, you read Life As We Knew It! I love that book. The companion book, the dead & the gone, didn’t quite live up to it but I read the sequel, This World We Live In (due out in April), and it’s pretty good!
Speaking of YA, have you read The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)? If not, you should give it a try!
Ooooh cool you got to read the sequel early! I’m glad to hear it’s good. I’ll def check it out. As for HG, I keep eyeing it! Maybe I’ll mosey over to Amazon now and order it….