2020 Reads Thus Far

The stay at home lifestyle prompted me to modify my daily schedule to accommodate more reading time.

I am still on a mission to read more classics this year. Up to now I have read:

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

Being a war novel, I was not sure this would be enjoyable for me. However it is a satirical anti war novel that is funny and sad at the same time. Hence, entertaining.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (1862)

Many of us are familiar with this story having seen it on stage or in a film. I decided to give this epic novel a shot. It is not one I would recommend since it is long and arduous. However I did find it wonderful as Jean Valjean is an amazing, inspirational character.

After such a hefty read that took weeks to get through, I switched things up downloading lighter, more contemporary reads.

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (2018)

This is a humorous short novel of 2 sisters (one being a serial killer) that had me chuckling. It also focuses on family relationships.

The Immortalists - Chloe Benjamin (2018)

 

This novel follows 4 siblings who visited a fortune teller in 1969 as young children.  Each was told when they would die and this in turn affects their lives and relationships. It is a gloomy, yet page turning novel.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (2019)

In 2019 I read the prequel, The Handmaid's Tale. Jim and I also binge watched the series. While the book was disturbing, the series was tenfold since the author was on set during filming and filled in a lot of blanks. It was extremely uncomfortable to watch, yet we could not stop watching it. This is not for the faint at heart!

The Testaments does give a little closure on the characters. However I still feel like there are a lot of question marks.  I suppose this is on purpose since it is set 15 years after the first book and the television series is still in production.

The Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See (2019)

This is a story of the haenyeo women of the Korean island Jeju. These strong women dive for food to support their families. This novel is intriguing especially if you know nothing of this culture like me going into it. It is a beautiful, painful story but it also has its share of humor. It is also an interesting look at Jeju's history as it spans from 1930 to present.

The Grass Harp and short stories by Truman Capote (1951)

This novel is set in a small southern town with quirky characters that know each other business. It is typical Capote fun. The short stories that followed were fantastic too. 

So I am back to the classics!

I hope you have been able to find a few positive life changes through this difficult time too.

Thank you for stopping by. ~Val