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Book Review: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. TW// This novel contains descriptive imagery of self-harm & suicide. Section 1947 – Ch 3. pp. 153-155 & Section 1941 Ch 1. pp. 483-493. Summary: The Night Watch explores how the 4 characters, Kay, Viv, Helen, and Duncan navigates through their lives during the 1940’s London. The novel is divided into 3 sections. It starts in 1947 and ends in 1941, at the…

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Book Review: Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. Summary: Thomas McNulty, a 17 year old Irish boy signs up for the US army in the 1850s with his beloved John Cole to fight the Indian Wars and the Civil War. Both have a hard past, and even through the hardships, the gruesomeness, and the violent acts of the wars, they are able to have days filled with wonder. They meet and take care of an Indian girl and it changes how…

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Social Injustice in 19th Century Manchester: Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Be prepare for a long discussion about this novel. Summary: Set in Manchester between 1837-42 the novel explores the differences between working-class and middle-class life. The reader follows Mary Barton, a working-class woman, through her life of hardship, social injustice and love. Mary’s father, John Barton, is an active participant in the worker’s movement,…

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Book Review: The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Summary: Proctor Bennet is a ferryman in Prospera. The citizens have monitors in their forearms that measure their mental and physical wellbeing. Proctor, as a Ferryman, helps people with the retirement process, and sometimes enforces it. If your monitor goes underneath 10% you will be enforced to retire. Once they retire they get sent to the island Nursery by a ferry.…

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Book Review: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. Summary Set in 1800s England the young boy, Oliver Twist, tries to navigate through life without parents, in a world full of homelessness, criminals and unempathetic people. Review Please, sir, I want some more. Oliver Twist is supposedly a children’s book, which shocked me since there are explicit scenes in this novel that revolves around death and cruelty. Dickens…

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Book Review: 'Villette' by Charlotte Brontë

⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. Summary Villette was published by the English author Charlotte Brontë in 1853. The protagonist, Lucy Snowe, leaves her tragic past in England when she sails for Villette. Villette offers opportunities, jobs, and even love. Review I finished Villette on the 14th of August, exactly two months after I started it. It was a slow read for me. I went from reading 11 books in…

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Currently reading: 'Villette' Volume III

Finally finished reading Volume II of Villette. My summer reading is going slower than expected but I’m enjoying the book! Happy summer reading ❤

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Currently Reading: Chapter IV of 'Villette' by Charlotte Brontë

To be honest, I have no clue what Villette is about, and I don’t want to Google it. I like the mystery. What will happen? What is the plot? What characters are important? It makes it more fun! I’m enjoying it so far. I’ve always loved classics! Happy Reading ❤

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Book Review: 'The Travelling Cat Chronicles' by Hiro Arikawa

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Summary The Travelling Cat Chronicles follows the cat Nana on a road trip with his owner Satoru through Japan. Nana doesn’t know the purpose of the road trip, but he loves sitting in the front seat of the silver van. He can experience new scenery and new experiences with the person he loves. Together they meet Satoru’s friends, Yoshimine, Sugi and Chikako, and Kosuke.…

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I'm back

I’m back after my reading break. I’m still reading The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. I’m reading outside, in the sun. There are three baby rabbits in the garden. Two are eating grass. One rabbit is enjoying the sun and listening to the chirping birds, just like me. The breeze is a little cold, making me want to go inside, but the heat from the sun makes me stay. The reading…

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Books in May: Recap

The month of May has been a very productive reading month. In total, I read eleven books. Certain books, such as Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift and Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham had been started before and I finished reading them. I re-read one book, The Escape by David Baldacci. Otherwise, all the other books were new. The average book rating of May is four stars. I have…

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Currently Reading: 'The Travelling Cat Chronicles' by Hiro Arikawa

The Travelling Cat Chronicles is set in Japan and is about a stray cat. He was given the name Nana by his adopter Satoru. They go on a road trip together, but Nana doesn’t know why, and Satoru doesn’t tell him. Yes… This is another one of my unfinished reads. I bought it because the concept is so cute. The book is written from the perspective OF A CAT!? Say less. Obvious buy. I’m a sucker for…

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Currently Reading: 'Midnight in Chernobyl' by Adam Higginbotham

Midnight in Chernobyl is one of my unfinished reads. It’s about the nuclear plant, reactor 4, that exploded in Chornobyl in the 1980s. Higginbotham retells the story of firefighters, officials, workers at the plant, and more by describing how the event unfolded. I’ve been reading this book for about two years, or maybe more. It seems to be a book I can only read outside. The book is heavy,…

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Book Review: Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift

🌸🌸🌸.5/5

Summary

Gulliver’s Travels follows Lemuel Gulliver (a surgeon) on his voyages around the world. The book contains four parts, each part being about a different journey. He meets Lilliputians (tiny people), Brobdingnags (giants), Laputians (people on a floating island), and Houyhnhnms (horses). Each journey changes Gulliver’s perspective and morals.

Review

Gulliver’s Travels is a satire, without a doubt. Throughout the book, Swift insists the journeys are real, and that Gulliver is the true author. He criticises and makes fun of other authors and their books. How do they expect people to believe their ridiculous accounts of their journeys? While it was interesting to read about all the different people Gulliver meets, it becomes a bit boring. The book is a little slow and full of description because he is retelling what transpired. Therefore, there is no “real” dialogue, only descriptions of what was said. There was also a description of the civilisation, of the environment, and of England.

Not only does Swift criticise other authors, but he also criticises different aspects of society. After every journey, Gulliver feels more and more disconnected from the English. By seeing all the different civilisations, Gulliver continuously notices the errors and shortcomings of his people.

In each “country” Gulliver visits, he gives an account of England. Perhaps in an attempt to colonise the country, which was expected of him in the name of the crown. Instead, Gulliver becomes colonised. In the countries, Gulliver adjusts to the civilisation, learning their language and standards, which creates a huge disconnect.

I have to admit Swift is clever in the way he writes. The world Swift created kept my interest piqued. So, even though the book was a little boring sometimes, I was still curious about Gulliver’s world. It was fun and different. The journeys were so ridiculous they made me laugh.

SPOILER IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH!!

How do you explain to someone that horses (Houyhnhnms) were the superior race and that Gulliver learnt their language (neighing) and started hating humans without laughing? That he couldn’t stand his own family. It’s absolutely ridiculously hilarious.

END OF SPOILER

The chapters are all relatively short and at the beginning of each chapter, there is a summary of what will happen in the chapter. Genius. I loved it.

I think Gulliver’s Travels is worth a read! It’s hilarious. I didn’t think it was funny when I first read it. However, when I tried to retell the story to my boyfriend, I just started laughing. It was a moment of, “What the hell did I just read?”

Happy Reading ❤

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Currently Reading: Gulliver's Travels Part IV - Jonathan Swift

I started Gulliver’s Travels months ago for one of my essays. Safe to say, I never finished it. So, today I made the wise decision to continue reading it. Months ago, I read the first three parts, and now, I’m starting the last.

While the book is good, it is a bit boring. It’s full of descriptions, and not a lot is happening. I have about 20 pages left, which I’ll try to finish tomorrow!

While reading through my bookshelf, I’ve decided to prioritize two things: unfinished books (Gulliver’s Travels, The Travelling Cat Chronicles, Midnight in Chernobyl, and The Outsider) and book series I’ve started (Thursday Murder Club books 2 & 3, A Court of Silver Flames, The Retreat, and The Game of Thrones series). It’s a lot… But I’m excited. I’m going to Sweden this summer, so I won’t be able to read all of them. I’ll be spending time with family, and honestly, I already have a few books at my mom’s house (classics only). So I won’t be bringing a lot of books with me. The ideal would be to finish some of my unfinished books before leaving!

Happy Reading ❤

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Series Review: 'The Country Girls Trilogy' - Edna O'Brien

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Summary Caithleen Brady and Baba Brennan, two young girls from County Clare, are the main characters in the trilogy, which follows them from childhood through adolescence, marriage, emigration to Dublin and eventually London, and the horrible realisations of adulthood. The trilogy consists of The Country Girls (Review here), The Lonely Girl, and Girls in Their…

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Book Haul 25/05/23🌸

Another book haul! Sometimes I buy books when I’m not feeling great; honestly, it’s the best. I’ve been dying to read romance these days, but nothing has caught my eye. Please give me recommendations!!!! ‘The Wheel of Time’ (books two and three) – Robert Jordan: My boyfriend is loving the first book, so he bought the next two books. ‘The Bullet That Missed’ – Richard Osman: I have read the…