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Fiction

Daisy Jones & The Six

This book is about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing is fantastic and makes it super easy to imagine everything in your mind as you read. She’s so good at making the characters feel real that the story is vivid. From start to finish, it’s like you’re watching a movie. Speaking of which, I think they’ve just released an adaptation of this book. But, even though the writing is clever, I didn’t get deeply into the story and unfortunately, I didn’t… Read More »Daisy Jones & The Six

Songbirds (by Christy Lefteri)

I read more non-fiction, and when I do read fiction, I expect the words to evoke emotions in me. I want to feel emotionally engaged. This didn’t happen right away when I started reading this book. In fact, it wasn’t until the last quarter of the story that the narrative truly gripped me, turning the reading experience into an emotional and reflective one. It’s a blend of sadness and empowerment. It isn’t merely a work of fiction; it brings to light the muted perspectives of… Read More »Songbirds (by Christy Lefteri)

Le braci (di Sándor Márai)

This is an introspective novel and the story is centred around two old friends, Henrik and Konrad, who have a reunion after 41 years. It is primarily a long and intense soliloquy by Henrik, exploring the meaning of life, love, and above all, friendship. The other character, Konrad, is allowed to speak only occasionally, which kept me frustrated. In fact, while Henrik’s monologue is eloquent and thought-provoking, it would have been intriguing to hear Konrad’s perspective and insights as well. Another aspect that disappointed me… Read More »Le braci (di Sándor Márai)

The Love Hypothesis (by Ali Hazelwood)

I’m glad I finally read this book given that there is so much hype about it. I loved getting into the head of the main character. The writing style is absolutely engaging and the dialogues are well developed. The author has done an excellent job of making the reader feel like they are right there with the characters, experiencing all of the ups and downs of their journey. However, rom-com novels are not my cup of tea so at times I found myself yawning and… Read More »The Love Hypothesis (by Ali Hazelwood)

Lucy by the Sea (by Elizabeth Strout)

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be “meh“. What a shame, I really wanted to love this book because I picked it up as a birthday present for myself. At the bookstore, I didn’t even bother to look for its reviews online, so taken in was I by its hardcover’s beauty. I basically judged it by its cover. I felt the book lacked depth in its emotional exploration, as it remained on the superficial thoughts of Lucy, the protagonist. The… Read More »Lucy by the Sea (by Elizabeth Strout)

The Door (by Magda Szabó)

This is a beautifully written novel that explores the complex relationship between two women: Magda, a writer, and Emerence, her housekeeper. The most striking aspect of the novel is the character of Emerence, whom I struggled to connect with. On the other hand, I was invested in the thoughts and emotions of Magda. Her inner reflections on her relationship with Emerence were captivating. I loved the second half of the book as it explored the themes of shame and guilt felt by the two characters.… Read More »The Door (by Magda Szabó)

1982-2022 Book Challenge: Complete!

As I was turning 40 this year, I decided to mark the occasion with a special reading challenge: to read a book published in each year of my life, between 1982 and 2022. As someone who loves to read and the freedom it provides for my mind to explore new ideas and places, I was super excited to see what this challenge would bring. As I embarked on my reading journey, I discovered a lot about my own tastes and preferences. I read a mix… Read More »1982-2022 Book Challenge: Complete!

The Alchemist

The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho)

This is a story about a journey that conveys the message that if you really want something, the universe will help you to achieve it. The encouragement of following your dreams is very much in your face – there’s superficial philosophy that triggers some thoughts, but not deep ones, so I haven’t gained much from this book. Even though the story wasn’t intellectually challenging or inspiring, it was easy to read and very well-written. Overall, it was okay; however, I expected much more from this… Read More »The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho)

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (by Milan Kundera)

This is a toughie. While I definitely loved the poetic title and the style of alternating fiction with non-fiction, I found the plot challenging to follow. It’s not a typical plotline, it’s non-chronological and non-linear. You need to be fully immersed in the book to understand its structure, otherwise you easily get lost. At some point, I even felt overwhelmed and almost guilty that I was not dedicating to it the right amount of effort. There’s lots of deep philosophy in it that triggered many… Read More »The Unbearable Lightness of Being (by Milan Kundera)

The Queen’s Gambit (by Walter Tevis)

I made a mistake. I made a beginner’s mistake. I watched the Netflix series first and a few days later I read the book. I will never do this again. I’ll always read the book first and watch the screen adaption after. The reason is that I couldn’t develop any imagination while I was reading, because I already knew the details of the whole story and how this was going to end. I missed a lot the making up in my mind of the visual… Read More »The Queen’s Gambit (by Walter Tevis)