The Reading List #7

The weekend seemed to fly by and I didn’t get around to finishing my reading list post, so here it is now. I’m still going through my period of pulling lots of books off shelves that I haven’t read yet, so the wide mixture of books continues…

The Sea, John Banville

I read two Banville novels at university and was more than impressed, so was excited to find this gem on my parents’ bookshelf. In ‘The Sea’, art historian Max returns to a place he holidayed as a child, following a personal loss. The novels flits between two periods of his life - the then and the now - leading to themes of childhood discoveries, maturing, and loss. The time periods almost blend into one another, yet there is something distinctly separate about them too, so it is not confusing.

It reads almost like poetry, and is utterly beautiful. Any literature fans, or fans of superb writing and narrative, need to give it a go.

A Small Part of Me, Noelle Harrison

Christina’s mother, Greta, walked out on her as a child, and Christina is now at a point in her life as a mother where she may take the same path. This is a novel of journeys, discovery, and family relationships, with chapters told by four or five different characters. Again, this is a novel that flits around in time, and there are no dates given, but it isn’t confusing to follow.

I didn’t find the story hugely gripping, and didn’t connect with many of the characters, but it was a nice story, and some of the passages describing families and relationships were brilliantly written.

Wedding Babylon, Imogen Edwards-Jones and Anonymous

Sorry, I promise this is the last of the Babylon series for a while! They are just such light, easy reads, making them perfect to separate books with heavier subject matters, so I’ve been enjoying revisiting them. This followed the usual set-up of a week behind the scenes in a glamorous industry.

It is told by a wedding planner, and features excess, huge budgets, tantrums and celebrities. It is pure trash, and you know exactly what you’re getting. Sometimes, after a long day, that’s all you need!

Lady Oracle, Margaret Atwood

I’m definitely an Atwood fan, but the blurb of this book made it sound a lot more unusual or intriguing than it actually was. Joan Foster is a writer who hides behind many different guises, and this is the story of her life. Whilst some of her experiences and the situations she finds herself in are a little silly or over the top, it really just reads as a bit of a memoir.

It’s worth reading though, for the character of Joan. Her voice is so distinctive, and charismatic, and her quirky ways are believable. It wasn’t my favourite Atwood novel, but it was a good story and kept me reading.

So there we are: the latest instalment. I’ve had a slightly quiet week reading-wise since these four, so I’ll get myself back on track and back into the land of fiction ready for next weekend.

What have you been reading recently?

Sophie x