Reimagining the Great American Novel with Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

This great epic novel is a captivating coming-of-age story that delves deep into the transformative journey of a young boy as he navigates through the painful challenges of his life as he gradually transitions into a man. The narrative beautifully intertwines themes of love, compassion, and greatness, painting a vivid picture of the protagonist's growth and development amidst a backdrop of adversity. However, the novel dares to explore the darker aspects of human existence as well. It fearlessly depicts the debilitating effects of addiction, the harsh realities of poverty, and the profound pain that can accompany the pursuit of one's dreams. Through its poignant storytelling, this remarkable work of literature offers a nuanced exploration of the complexities of life, resonating with readers on a deeply emotional level.

We follow Demon, a resilient young boy, as he navigates the treacherous landscape of a brutal and unforgiving world. Despite his tender age, he possesses a remarkable strength that propels him forward in the face of adversity. His mother, a troubled soul trapped in the grip of addiction, grapples with an inner turmoil, torn between her love for her child and the seductive allure of the intoxicating high. Amidst the harsh backdrop, Demon finds solace in the company of his neighbors, the Peggots, whose humble abode becomes a sanctuary for him. Within the Peggot's worn walls, a flicker of hope and companionship burns brightly as Demon's best friend, Maggot, kindly resides.

But as Demon’s mother meets a new man, Stoner, his life falls appart and he is thrown into the world, with no hope but to survive it.

This book has captivated many hearts and mine is no indifferent to the adventures of the characters of this book. We follow many characters, them growing up, going away, and growing appart from each other. We see how the evolve and they love and hate. But what we also see is the a town, deep in ruin of the history that they have had tu suffer.

Addiction and poverty is what rules the town, not love, although that is everything Demon and the other struggling children want. In a world where durgs are passed on as easily as candy, and where pain demands it, Demon falls into the deep darkness of addiction. Oxytosin, Fentanyl, meth, heroin, all of those names are mentioned in this story, and not always as a passing thought.

Barbara Kingsolver, rewrites what is thought to be the great american novel by writing what America really is. Addiction, poverty and most of all, collective pain. And in there, we meet sweet but non-too perfect Demon. A kid who is only trying to survive a day at a time.

Although we suffer in this book alongside Demon, we also read through his most intoxicating friendships and romances. We see him with Maggot, a trubled misunderstood child who is discovering who he is in a world where people do not respect him. Angus, who is only trying to survive a world where her father just wants a boy. Or Emmy a beautiful shining girl who although has finally found her place in the world, sometimes she makes mistakes.

All these characters feel real, they are real between the pages in this book, and until the end, you live with them, along through their journeys. Most most imporantly, we follow Demon’s journey to the ocean, his ultimate dream.

I cannot express how captivating this book was, it hypnotised me into a dream-like experiences where everything I wanted to do was jump into their world and hug every character. Kingsolver has absolutely written the Great American Novel, showing the truth and not just what we want to hear. Her masterful storytelling evokes a vivid and often uncomfortable portrayal of the human condition, challenging conventional beliefs and forcing readers to confront the harsh realities that persist in our society. With a meticulous eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of human nature, Kingsolver crafts characters that are both relatable and deeply flawed, capturing the raw essence of the human experience. Through her powerful prose and thought-provoking themes, she unravels the layers of societal expectations and exposes the deep-rooted inequalities that still plague us. Her narrative not only entertains but also educates, encouraging readers to question their own assumptions and examine the world around them with a critical eye. Kingsolver's ability to blend literary excellence with compelling social commentary sets her apart as a true voice of our generation and leaves an indelible impact on her readers, long after they have turned the final page.

A good idea, a bad execution - The Emissary by Yoko Tawada

The Emissary, a short exploration into the “What Ifs” of the destruction of the world by climate change and human destruction of the world. So What if a whole country was closed down and had to become completely independent? Well, I still don’t know, but good question. The Emissary is not the book to get answers rather, it is the book to ask questions, and never to resolve them.

Japan, closed down from the rest of the world. Yoshiro, a very old man who never dies. Mumei, a young child too weak to take care of himself. And, a world too weak to survive much more time. A great set of characters and an amazing setting but Tawada, having this incredible idea, completely wastes this. She never goes deep enough to really explore the themes and the possible consequences of a world that is so broken that children grow with no strength.

Firstly, the characters. Maybe the biggest strength of the book, Yoshiro and Mumei’s differences make them stronger. Yoshiro is stuck in his time, trying to understand a new world where his great-great-grandchild is as weak as a flower. He becomes his solemn protection in a cruel and dangerous world. While the rest of the elderly people work for the young trying to stabilize life. Mumei, on the other hand, is happy with being alive. He is quite the opposite of what Yoshiro is. His positive character makes the entire book feel like a drop of optimism in a terrible world.

Secondly, the writing feels weak and unexplored. Constantly I was thrown into information that although interesting, it was a dump. A single train of through that the reader felt into without really realising. It felt like the author was making a terrible attempt into a multitude of ideas and a lazy attempt of throwing ideas.

In light of my thoughts and the experience of the book, I would not recommend it to a lot of people. Yes, the ideas were creative but, if such a short and lazy attempt is what is thrown into the book, it makes me rather hesitant to name it a piece of literature.

Where is the lying life of adults? - Elena Ferrante

Once upon a time a girl was called ugly by her own father. That changed everything for her. 

The lying life of adults follows our main character Giovanna a young girl who is struggling with growing up and becoming a young woman. Meanwhile, she is struggling with her parent’s struggling relationship, her bizarre friendship with her best friend and her sister and at the same time she is reconnecting with the evil but loving Vittoria, her aunt. 

Ferrante’s writing is truly a work of art. She can write the most disturbing things or the most real things with life and beauty. You could really feel Giovanna’s rage, disappointment, sadness and embarrassment on herself and her family. I felt everything that she was feeling and it felt so real that I felt along side her. 

Giovanna as a character is fantastically written. She truly comes form growing up as a woman in a world where being a woman can be so hard. How it is to grow up in societal standard and the male’s gaze as well as the men that exist around you. How unfortunately it is quite impossible 

Vittoria is another perfectly written character. She might be my favourite character. She is. She is wrong, ugly, angry, mean and terrible. But she is also wonderful and loving. She is the most complicated character I’ve ever read. She seems like she is one thing but she quickly turns around and is a totally different thing. She has layers to peel and that are slowly and carefully and with craft peeled through the book. But by the end of it you still don’t know what and who Vittoria is. Ferrante creates a hero and a villain all in one. 

The rest of the characters are also wonderfully crafted. Giovanna’s mother and father, friends and her parent’s friends. They’re all filled in depth and are crafted with a lot of care. 

The plot itself is complicated and although it doesn’t necessarily take us anywhere, it’s still filled with life. It takes us through a very important time in Giovanna’s life. When she grows up and when she discovers how adults are not perfect but rather children who are just a bit older than you. They lie, they make mistakes and they are sometimes terrible. 

I loved this book, I truly did, I fell in love with Giovanna’s story about growing up and sexuality and sex and family and love. And I wish this touches many others people’s hearts. 

A short wonderful book; Bonsai by Alejandro Zambra

When you find a book that blows your mind, you wonder why you haven’t seen it everywhere. Bonsai is one of those books.

A short story on love, loss and human connections. Zambra captures perfectly what it is to be human, what it is to be alive and what it is to meet someone and to connect with them. Although there isn’t much of a plot, his words are ones to remember.

Two Chilean students, Julio and Emilia, seek human connections, literature and sex. Julio’s story ends quickly, but he’s still alive, and Emilia’s story, although longer, still shorter than Julio’s. Both explore who they are side by side, drifting apart as life goes on.

This blew my mind because it captured the human mind differently. It is not trying to be too profound or complicated, it’s trying to show Emilia’s and Julio’s complicated identities and relationships through words that feel like each beat of the heart, life going on and on.

I want to share this book and I want more people to read it and to experience the beautiful words.

In conversation with Lolita - My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Lolita by Nabokov is a book that everyone knows about. Everyone knows about Humbert Humbert and Lolita, but what about Dolores Haze? Dolores Haze is better known as Lolita, but that is what HH called her, but we just know what HH was narrating about. So, what about the story of Dolores? What about her narration? What about her experience? Well, the closer we can get to that is by reading My Dark Vanessa, the book written from the point of view of a Dolores Haze, the victim.

Vanessa is 15 when she enters a relationship with her English teacher, Shade, she thinks it’s love, that he treats her amazingly, cares for her, and loves her. Years later, another student from her school comes out with an accusation to the same English teacher. What does that mean? Is he an abuser? But that’s impossible, they had a perfect relationship, it was her first love, this girl must be lying. But, more and more accusations arise, and she still doesn’t understand how her first love could be accused of such horrible things.

My Dark Vanessa is placed in two-time frames, during her relationship with her teacher and years later, during the #metoo movement. As in Lolita by Nabokov, this is too an unreliable narration. Humbert Humbert told us about how much Lolita was for him, and Vanessa believes mostly the same things. Through the narrative, you understand that not everything is as Vanessa's things nor how Shade believes it happens.

Kate Elizabeth Russell writes incredible characters with layers and layers of pain and trauma. When you read Vanessa’s experience, you feel there is so much more to the story than she believes matters. Slowly, you start to understand her relationship with the fact that she had been abused by the person she had thought she had been loved by. And quickly enough, you start hating Shade.

Equally, Shade is a very well-written character. He also has layers to him, many of which we get to discover in the book and others that we assume are there. I hated him, he had me angry, sad and honestly terrified of how many might be out there.

Furthermore, the writing in this book infuriated me. Because it was so addictive, but equally disturbing. I wanted to keep on reading, and I couldn’t stop, but I was so angry at the story, of how it made me feel about what I had to experience.

Lolita, the book, is mentioned many times during the book, drawing a perfect parallel between that story and Vanessa’s as well as the experience of the abuser and the victim.

I am so thankful this book exists and I got to experience it after having had read Lolita. I am also this book exists for those who experience Lolita and believe that Dolores also deserves a book.

The Minotaur is depressed and smokes - Steven Sherril

‘The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break’ caught my eye the moment I set eyes on the cover. And when I read it, it did not disappoint. A realistic, almost disappointing life, of one of the greatest and most feared monsters in the world’s history, the Minotaur lives a normal life in today’s contemporary society.

From the very beginning, the Minotaur poses a lot of questions. What is he doing here? Why does he work in a restaurant? How is he accepted into every day places? Is he happy?

M lives a mundane, boring life. He wakes up, goes to work, where his entire life revolves, goes back to his trailer park and sometimes fixes his car. He literally doesn’t fit in anywhere, not only is he awkward, but he is also big with big horns, he can’t physically speak because of his anatomy and can’t see because of his animal head. His little communication comes from grunts and noises that he directs to some of his colleagues at the steak house or his neighbours. He acts like the other men in his life, pathetically, because he wants to fit in, he wants them to think he is cool and for that reason he says things he doesn’t believe in. That is still is not enough so M continually tries to join conversations after work, he watches and listens to the waiters’ conversations and grunts if he wants to be acknowledged, but then he finds himself unable to finish a sentence. He blurbs sexists or unfunny jokes to the boys who, consequently, laugh hard at him. However, the Minotaur doesn’t want to be like them. He doesn’t want to be sexist, he doesn’t want to comment on his colleague’s breasts, nor does he want to be like them. But loneliness can be hard to overcome, in the same thought he believes that he would be happier if he was like them.

In his trailer, he can’t read because of his head, nor does he watch TV, although he has tried, he doesn’t even fit through the door. He chooses to live there, he chooses to not fit in. He has dreams to leave. Likewise, he plans every day things, from what to buy at the shop to the things he has to do before going to work. Planning and planning and dreaming and dreaming without a goal. He knows what he wants, what he wants to say but, because of his lack of action, his lack of words, he stays in the same place, he chooses to stay and live through his loneliness.

He is seen also as someone who can’t speak and as a consequence, he is not listened to. Furthermore, he tries to say something, he is unable or not listened to. He is not seen as a normal human being, he is a monster to some, disgusted, a dumb fool to other or a harmless idiot. But his entire existence in modern society is complete contradiction. He is big, he is strong, he used to murder people in Ancient Greece, but M doesn’t remember that, Sherill reminds us that the Minotaur is unable to use that as an advantage when he is taken advantage of. He doesn’t take initiative, he is the one scared of the boyish men at work that use him. Not only that, but he is scared of life because he can’t be like the others.

Although the story is short in respect to the message, the plot doesn’t really matter. I learn from M, on what he feels and on what not to do. I felt seen, how sometimes you just want to fit in, that sometimes you see people being loud, and you think that they are happy, but maybe, in the inside, they are equally lonely.

This is a story of true loneliness, of not being able to see your own self-sabotage- a true story of everyone’s lives.

The Virgin Suicides was incredible - Jeffrey Eugenides

In a normal happy American neighbourhood a group of boys look over to the other side of the street where you can find 5 beautiful sisters who are about to kill themselves. So, why would I even recommend this book to you when it is so filled with violence.

The five Lisbon girls are mysterious, beautiful and always move in a group, a group of boys observe then, obsess over them. Suddenly, Cecilia, the youngest, killsl herself and from that moment forward the Lisbon girls are not the same.

Young girls suffer in a world that is still run by men and the Virgin Suicides exactly shows that. Eugenides uses a very special narrator to tell the story of the Lisbon girls: a group of neighbourhood boys. It just shows a perfect example of the women are constantly sexualised and reduced to their beauty. When the young girls are obviously suffering, the boys keep telling us how beautiful they are, how mysterious they are, which boys they are with, what they are doing. They never help them, how they should’ve, for the reason they should’ve. They help them because they are seeing themselves like the savours of the beautiful neighbours, nothing more.

But you might still be asking the reason to read this depressing book. Well, let me elaborate a bit more. The writing is spectacularly beautiful. From the first sentence I was hooked. Eugenides flowers every single sentence with the most mesmerising words, making the girls even more mysterious. He also doesn’t try to dramatise the suicides themselves, he rather focuses on their lives before and how the boys envision them.

Finally, Eugenides is obviously a man but, he still has captured perfectly how it is to be a girl, living in a world where men still are seen a superior, in a world where men so often take advantage of girls and in a world where even in your own home, you can still feel extremely alone.

The phoniest book is considered a classic? The Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye is considered a classic but should it be one? This “review” is not necessarily a review. I want to take a moment to discuss why The Catcher in the Rye is so "controversial". We should just start by saying that this book is a love or hate story. And for myself, I love it. But, I think I love it because I am young, and this book is not for many adults (excluding the nostalgics, of course).

I have been wondering ever since I read this first, why so many people hate it, and finally, I see why. Holden is a piece of shit. So many people say that the plot is dull or the book is just not good, but I think their issue is with Holden as a character. Salinger creates a character that repeats sentences, insults people, makes numerous mistakes, mistreats people, and is… well, kinda stupid. I can see how he can be seen as infuriating. Or that the plot is "boring" and that nothing happens. I can see that I comprehend it, but I do not understand it. Let me explain why.

Yes, Holden got me rolling my eyes many times. The way he talked about some of the characters. The way he repeated the word phony or how his expressions were "overused". That is what is so wonderful about the book. Think about it, how does a teenager today talk? With social media and society changing, we have also seen a change in language. When I was 16, I am sure I overused words and expressions and even used them two or three times in one sentence. I'm sure you do or did too. I wasn't alive when this book was published, but teenagers those days surely used - and overused- those words. So, why are you mad that this book has an accurate speaking teenager.

I have been wondering ever since I read this first, why so many people hate it, and finally, I see why. Holden is a piece of shit. So many people say that the plot is dull or the book is just not good, but I think their issue is with Holden as a character. Salinger creates a character that repeats sentences, insults people, makes numerous mistakes, mistreats people, and is… well, kinda stupid. I can see how he can be seen as infuriating. Or that the plot is "boring" and that nothing happens. I can see that I comprehend it, but I do not understand it. Let me explain why.

Yes, Holden got me rolling my eyes many times. The way he talked about some of the characters. The way he repeated the word phony or how his expressions were "overused". That is what is so wonderful about the book. Think about it, how does a teenager today talk? With social media and society changing, we have also seen a change in language. When I was 16, I am sure I overused words and expressions and even used them two or three times in one sentence. I'm sure you do or did too. I wasn't alive when this book was published, but teenagers those days surely used - and overused- those words. So, why are you mad that this book has an accurate speaking teenager.

The Most Beautiful book you will ever read, Open water - Caleb Azumah Nelson

Open water takes you on a 140 page ride into the most beautiful narrated piece I have ever read. Every sentence is assembled with the most care and precision and fits perfectly well into the story of a young Black man in London falling in love with a Black woman.

The plot is very simple: boy falls in love with girl in London. But this book is so much more than that. It explores art and beauty and depression and love and family. The voice of the main character carefully describes these happenings with maturity and attention to even the smallest detail. I felt myself tearing up at every single book in this book not because of the sadness but at the utmost beauty that it holds.

Not only do we see the narration of a romantic love story but we also see a young Black man explore life in a modern London. It makes references to art, film and music by Black people that affect the protagonist as a Black man himself.

The mix between poetry and fiction narration really shows how Nelson is a master at the craft of writing. He uses the second-person narration with a perfection that I have never before encountered.

It is a short and concise book and although I wished it never ended, everything that needed to be said was said. Caleb Nelson has created a masterpiece, a work of art and my favourite book from now on. I will surely be checking out anything he puts out and I cannot wait how he grows as an artista and story teller.

Why My Year of Rest and Relaxation is genius - Ottessa Moshfegh

I think this novel could be considered bad or just boring. Some people might even find it annoying or a “try-hard”, I think that is the genius of it. This book is about a young woman that decides that she is taking a year to sleep. A year to “hibernate” you might say. She takes pills to sleep and she barely leaves the house. It is funny and quirky but dark and depressing. I think the sassiness of the main character is what might drag people away. I however enjoyed every second of her character. She is obviously going through a really tough time, maybe because of her past or her relationships. We never find out why specifically she decided that was what she had to do. Sleeping could have been used by her to avoid her very real situation.

The scariest part is that she thinks she is doing the right thing. she alienates herself from the world, drugs herself, drinks and doesn’t eat much, and she thinks she is going to get better after a year. I think this novel should be a horror book. But I loved it. There is a very satisfying sense of “yes, I sometimes feel like I want to do this,” but, “I will never treat myself like this” because it’s a depressing story.

As terrifying as it is, the writing Moshfegh uses to handle the story is powerful. The sarcasm and dark comedy pushes the story further into a very straightforward and very approachable one for everyone.

The characters are deep and very well written, they convey emotion with everything they do. Reva is annoying but we still feel for her. Trevor we all hate. We hate the main character’s parents but we understand the suffering and we still feel bad for their death. I think this is where the novel is the most powerful. Going back on time to understand her suffering is depressing and hard. Sometimes I wished for her life to get better but I still found it very interesting that we got to understand a bit more of the bigger picture.

Some of my favourite parts of the book were when she was talking to Reva. It was extremely sassy and funny but still, it felt like it was a serious matter. Why was she still friends with her if she hated her so much? There are many discussions on bulimia and alcoholism so if you are triggered by these topics I would strongly advise against reading this as sometimes it felt like the main character (not the author) was taking the piss out of people with eating disorders. In reality, the author is very cleverly using these topics to show us how the main character sees the world, dark and insignificant.

The ending is where I get confused. Our main character has a massive redemption where she finally sees a point in life. Her last months in total hibernation are spent completely sleeping. But somehow after these 12 months of a very unhealthy lifestyle, she still comes out well and happy. To be completely honest, I felt like the ending was just a quick way to find a solution to everything. Really, it just felt like the author wanted to finish it and be like “So yeah, after all this time doing the worst for herself, she is totally fine and it works!”. I’m sure there is a very plausible explanation for this and I’m sure I am missing the point but, I wish there could be a moment when the character realises what she has done. Maybe she doesn’t realise that it was wrong but, that maybe she didn’t wish that feeling on anyone.

But, all in all, it was fantastic and I wish I could read the book again for the first time. Some of the sentences used were immaculate and filled with feelings I very much share. Her back story was somehow similar and very different from mine but I still felt understood on a very personal level that sometimes is hard to find.

A genius masterpiece I would talk about for days.

Why Klara and the Sun is so wonderful - Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro is no stranger to praise. With his new release Klara and the Sun everyone who had read his previous work was impatient to read the Nobel Prize in Literature winner’s new work. Klara and the Sun is a work of art that explores themes such as family, friendship and growing old as well as human existence, climate change and technology advances. Klara, the robot is bought by Josie to become her companion and consequently her friend.

This is a heartwarming story that we get to explore through Klara’s eyes, we see a story through a non-human mind. This gives the reader a new insight into the human world, we see it as an outsider just like Klara. We see how humans are so angry, strange and how they destroy the world. We even see the strange social communications that take place in this story and throughout the world.

This is a story of a robot that loves a human girl and they become friends. This is also a story of a robot who tries to safe her friend from a horrible disease. This is also a story of growing up and leaving childhood behind. Overall this is a story about how love can work in so many different ways; family, friendship and relationships.

Happy endings not always have to be about ending up with the love of your life or surviving the illness. Ishiguro shows how a happy ending is just being happy even if it means you leave your home and start a new life. Klara ends up happy for Josie even if she is no longer useful as an AF but she knows she has done her best.

This is a book I one day want to revisit to remind myself of how a life with ups and downs does not mean that is a sad ending, you can always get up and get better and be happy. This book remind me of my happiness and the people and things that make me happy.

The long Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Murakami

If you know me, you know how much I love Haruki Murakami’s work. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle did not disappoint. Like most of Murakami’s work, the story revolves around a simple character. Toru Okada, to whom the tale about takes us through his journey, and Murakami does a fantastic job at taking us through it through his excellent storytelling. Murakami uses the nonsense in the world, including individuals, governments, or even the nonsense nations may create, to create a story that confuses the reader in the best way possible. Murakami explores themes of isolation, loss and being lost of an individual and Japans history, the world left of World War II. This almost-boring character who seems to have no purpose except finding his cat and later on his wife is turned into a detective raising questions for the readers but which he is not as interested himself.

Toru Okada is a lost, passive main character. He doesn’t have massive motives in the story except maybe his wife. Toru’s lack of interest in the world might get repetitive at points as he spends most of the time raising more questions instead of answering the others. Murakami has created a mystery story where the detective is not interested in answering the reader's questions. This leaves us with unanswered questions at the end of the story that some readers might find annoying.

Murakami does carry the story to the point of repetitiveness. When Noboru spends time at the bottom of the well, I felt like those chapters were just used to further this story. Furthermore, when talking about the war, it might have felt too long even though it was exciting and helpful to the report; two or even three entire chapters of Lieutenant Mamiya’s story might be too much.

However, I do have to say that having some Japanese history was one of my favourite parts as when connected with the actual story it brought further my interest. This might be a consequence of the previous knowledge I had of Japan’s history and hence I found it easy to understand.

As mention before this story explores difficult themes of loss and identity. Toru doesn’t seem to need or want an identity, he does not look for answers and meaning of the bizarre occurrences that surround him. He rather conforms with everything. The rest of the characters are different however, they all look for their own identity and meaning of what to do and where to go. A great example of this is May Kasahara, the teenager who feels responsible for her boyfriend’s death. Even though she has lost her place in the world she still tries to look for a new place to go and be herself, a new identity she can actually understand. She goes to one of the most bizarre places, a wig factory, she is herself in isolation as she starts to answer her own identity questions.

Toru does not have a personal identity. Murakami explores his lack of identity by not answering the weirdest and bizarre questions being risen. He also explores as mentioned before Japan’s history and even comments on the wrongdoings of his own country questioning the reasons for these terrible happenings. The nonsense that surrounds us humans made by us individually, the governments we have and even our countries are used in the story to create this mesmerising mystery novel. But, Murakami creates even more nonsense with my favourite type of magical realism where he creates substories that make no sense but are never questioned.

What drives me more to Murakami’s worlds is his magical realism as he is one of the best writers to use dark themes that can be relatable to many people. But makes them more non-humanised by using magic and bizarre happenings and his superb writing to make them more relatable and hence more entertaining. He builds narrative tension for the reader to continue to read and thus, under the surface, to explore those dark themes which might be hard to talk about usually.

In summary, this might not have been my favourite Murakami book but, looking back on what I have learned and explored in this story, I am very grateful to have read it and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Murakami or someone who enjoys Japan’s history in World War II.

I am shocked at how confused Conversation with Friends left me - Sally Rooney

After reading Normal People and loving it I knew that the next step was to read Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. I thought it would be a similar style of story and similar characters just a different plot. However, Rooney’s debut novel left me confused. The style is similar but, something that I loved from Normal People was the third person narration and following each character through time and lives. She uses first-person narration in Conversation with Friends meaning we get closer to Frances, our main protagonist. Frances is weird, special but has a complex deep mind. Her thoughts and feelings left me confused and hence the title.

The word confused might sound negative but it is a compliment to the text. As with normal people, Sally Rooney has me starring at the ceiling at 3 am with no other reason than complete and utter awe. Frances is an interesting character to me, I hated her, for most of the star but, the way she is written brings my love to her character. She sees herself as an almost feelingless and inhuman person, but she thinks I could see her depth and complexity. When she is hurt she doesn’t display it the same way as Bobbi or Nick do. She is way more reserved and left outspoken but we can see how deep her trauma goes into. Even though Frances to me is someone I would not like to be friends with, on paper, she is perfect. Sally Rooney has created an extremely complex character and this is enhanced by the lack of communication Frances shares. Even in her mind, she does not share much and this might be for the lack of emotion but, for the lack of understanding of these basic feelings that she has. This is where her intricacy starts.

Nick is the love interest. I believe this character was meant to be the complex character that Frances is. He is supposed to be this two-faced character but, I see him like a meaningless almost dumb character that I hate. Yes, Frances is also part of this relationship but, the way Nick handles it with Melissa, his wife, is incredibly dull. I don’t like his character and there is no complexity behind this.

I missed a better story for Bobbi. She is incredible and I believe the book would have been better if Bobbi’s story and personality could have been explored further. Bobbi is a fun character. The fresh side of the depressing life that Frances is. She knows how to talk and how to communicate. I don’t believe that the book would have been better with Bobbi as the main character as Frances brings the complexity that makes Sally Rooney such a good character builder. Bobbi however could have been further developed into Frances story.

We can gather that Sally Rooney is how her stories are not plot-based but rather character-based. We do not learn from the story and we do not care about the path the story takes to develop. we rather care about how these characters grow and develop. We care about the thoughts these characters go through and what their development is. That’s why this book is so good. I think this book should be read by any lover of books.

Normal People is meant for normal people - Sally Rooney

The popular Sally Rooney novel has captivated me not only because of the writing but because of the raw organic story that she has created. Some people believe that her novels lack a story, something that is entertaining enough. I believe that what makes this book so special is the characters. Her books are not plot-based but rather character-based. The relationships built in Normal People makes you part of it. Marianne and Connell grow up together and you grow with them. Of course, this book takes place over many years but as you read on you feel like you learn new life lessons that they also learn.

The story begins in their last year of high school in Ireland. Marianne is the unpopular misunderstood girl in school while Connell is the popular football player. It starts as a typical high school romance novel. However, they start dating and sleeping together which starts raising questions about Connell’s morals. He is of course embarrassed by Marianne so they keep it a secret. What differentiates this story from others is the growth the characters go through. Once they arrive at uni, the roles change. Marianne is the beautiful popular girl and Connell is the shy misunderstood guy.

What I most enjoy about this is how both have separate lives but they always end up together. Every time they get separated they always find a way to get together. They are friends first and lover second which shows a real organic relationship between the two. This feeling of a normal love story with an internal character growth is what stays with a reader. Sally Rooney creates characters that you understand and sees yourself in even if the story itself is not similar to your own life story.

The time jumps were hard to get used to. She jumps from time to time and flashbacks in almost every chapel. It’s sometimes hard to keep up with these cups. The flashbacks only drive the point of a normal story. When you think you have thought jumps all the time. So, it was hard for me to get used to but once you do I believe it only brings the feeling of the organic sense even further.

Sally Rooney tends to use everyday discussions in her character’s conversations. It might not add anything to the story itself but it does make the character feel more from the everyday society we live in. We can see both sides of an argument usually and if those are not explored there are different opinions on everything. This enhances the idea of a normal story as it shows normal conversations that uni students might be having in today’s society. This also enhances the character’s growth throughout the story and the reader can learn more from them. This novel seems like a glimpse into two people.

The ending is what some people might not like. Yes, an open ending is always infuriating especially in this story as we have seen both characters grow and finally get together. However, this is what the title suggests. It is a normal story between two characters that still have a life (something that some romance stories do not have). Their whole personality is not only based on their love between the two so, but their continuing life without necessarily together only showing that they still have a life and that life also continues parallel to their love story.

This is a story of two friends that are meant to be together. This is a story between two people who grow up and end up finding each other. However, you see it I believe that this story is very touching. The characters stay with you somehow or another. You can comprehend them and see yourself in them. The writing is exquisite and Sally Rooney knows how to create powerful characters.

First Person Singular, another confusing mesmerising book by Murakami.

When I heard that Haruki Murakami was coming out with a new book I was quick to buy it and as soon as it came, to read it. His 22nd book is a collection of 8 first-person singular tales which mostly take a Murakami similar style. Most of the stories are full of colour and have a nostalgic-like feeling that all Murakami have to have on me. They mostly talk about music, sex, and other mundane things. It is an interesting read and if you enjoy Murakami book you will for sure enjoy this one..

The first story is Cream which might be one of my favourites. It is bizarre and strange, but it discusses a complex idea that makes you question yourself throughout. Not everything makes sense and not everything has a reason to it. The narrator finds himself in a weird and inexplicable situation that never seems to get solved. This tale was addictive as you find yourself looking for answers that never exist.

The second story is On a Stone Pillow which takes us through another story that talks about an inexplicable feeling. What I most enjoy about this one is the tanka poetry used. I loved that it was well written and not only for the story itself. I enjoyed the feelings that our narrator was feeling when reading those poems as it is how I feel when I read the poetry. It was very raw and I really enjoyed that.

Charlie Parker Plays Bossa Nova was also an excellent story. It was bizarre and unforgettable. I sometimes think about the possibility slitty of this happening to me. This one has to be one of my favourite ones too as I still think about it.

With the Beatles, feels like a Sally Rooney novel and I love that. It is a simple heartbreaking story that includes Murakami’s love for music. Murakami has been using his love for music in many of his novels but the description of the girl holding the record really touched my heart. That might have been my favourite descriptions by him in all stories and books.

The fifth story brings back the strange and bizarre Murakami style. A talking monkey with a strange talent. This was a magical and bizarre story that was equally entertaining. This, has to be one of the best out of the 8 as it really shows Murakami through the words.

The sixth story is Carnaval which has the best opening to anything ever. It’s snappy and funny. The rest of the story is quite mundane but thanks to that opening the whole story deserves a read.

Then comes the seventh story. It’s actually not a story but a small glimpse into Murakami’s love for baseball and poetry of that love. I can say that this has to be my least favourite. It’s not entertaining and if I am completely honest, I hated the poetry itself.

The final story is the best ending for a short story collecting. It was fun to read, and it was also the best magical of the 8th. The ending leaves us Wirth our mouths open hoping to have an explanation or a sequel to the fantastic conclusion.

I have to say that this was not the best Murakami book I have read, but it was still entertaining. The few stories I really enjoyed I will recommend but, the rest I cannot say they are worth the read.

The terrifying judges of right and wrong by Yukio Mishima

Yet another fantastic and intriguing novel that I have been introduced to by Japanese literature. Mishima'sThe sailor who fell from grace with the sea” is a work of art. It talks about themes such as death and life and romance and objectivity and betrayal and punishment. It is a terrifying story that the more you read, the closer you get to those fears that you have grown inside you.

To understand this novel, there has to be a minimum understanding of who Mishima was. He was a Japanese play writer, actor, singer and writer. He is critically acclaimed worldwide as the most significant Japanese writer of all times, but that is the least exciting thing. He was significantly involved in politics, he was an imperialist, and he clearly supported the war and what came with it. He was married and had two children; however, he had many affairs with a homosexual man. He died in 1970 through the act of seppuku or harakiri, an act of killing oneself for the purpose of morality and the greater good. He is said to have killed himself because of politics or morality. He was an imperialist and fought to have the same moral code that samurais had. He was also a known homosexual man who had many affairs with male actors who impersonated women. His life was full until his last day, and I would really recommend watching the documentary. I will link below.

The story is terrifying and disturbing. Not because there were frightening points were I had to stop reading and look around my room, checking for monsters. It was more like the whole idea that there might be someone in the world so terrifying and full of disturbing people. One of our main characters, Noboru, is a group of kids who think of the authority or power of justice. They are the judges of right and wrong. We see some parts of the story through a third-person narrator through Noboru’s eyes. He slowly sees what is happening. This was too terrifying to me because he acted as if nothing was wrong. Even if they were not “normal”, his comments and actions worked as if nothing was wrong. The fact that he watched his mother through a hole in the wall and, equally so, went to sleep without any consequences.

The group of kids are thought to be exempt from the law not because of their young age but because they are meant to judge everyone else’s actions. They believe that they have the authority to know what sin is and to take action against that. They are like the accountants of every sin people commit, and they have committed. They are not accounted to sin as they are the judges of other people’s sins. They are the protectors of humanity, one that has no real purpose. It’s their duty, and if they don’t do anything to redeem other’s sins, there will be chaos. It’s their responsibility to punish those who sin.

For 13-year-olds to think this makes me shiver. The last few pages of the book are where the action takes place. It is focused on just a small fraction of time that makes it so effective. It is not a horror novel but rather a physiological thriller that makes us question what reality we are surrounded by. There was a part I was too disgusted with, and that was when the children kill the cat like it was never alive. This part was disturbing and terrifying just by itself. The fact that scared me was that they thought to have the authority to punish those who were wrong in their account. They have the excuse that their actions are for the greater good and that they are using these to protect humanity's fate.

It is scary but equally addictive. We expect horrible things to happen to the sailor, but we don’t expect the children to be so terrible and fo the story to be so dark. I kept reading, and it never really told me what they were going to do precisely.

This book shows how something as disturbing as the brutality the kids go under, and the horrible thoughts that take place, and the elegance that Mishima is using to describe these events can become something beautiful and so readable, becoming an instant classic. There were so many abstract topics discussed and talked about, but Mishima and the translator John Nathan were able to captivate the reader with their magnificent words. Their words were so poetic that I had to reread those words. It felt as I was reading the wind and the sea simultaneously, and I could feel touched by those words.

This book discusses many themes that were obviously important to Mishima. He was a right-wing imperialistic homosexual. You might disagree with his political ideas, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy how much of a masterpiece this book is. It talks about glory and honour. The kids think that they can detach emotionally and detach form life, hence the horrible scene with the cat. I believe that those disturbing parts of the book help the reader understand how the writer wanted to make the kids and the ideas present. Yukio Mishima wants the reader to get uncomfortable in their houses' comfort to make them realise how terrible their thoughts actually are.

He also discusses the idea of love and how it can bring meaning and honour, but it is not what men would want or how they want to read that sense of glory. He discusses the idea of masculinity and what some people might think masculinity would take and what it takes to reach that glory they seek. The group of kids are willing to kill Ryuji to give him the glory he wanted. They think they have the honour to do so and that they can do that because they have detached from humanity and are no longer subjected to something as weak as emotions.

The Homeless Japanese ghost by Miri Yu

The repetitive life of our homeless narrator that captivates you with his words. You can see hidden Japan in the shadows, the real Tokyo. He is a social outcast that describes his own view of life. It is heartwarming but sad throughout the short novel. It is a discussion of love, life, and death beautifully assembled using different imagery and tone to describe his feelings or what he is experiencing.

The main character, Kazu is a struggling working-class member, he is a social outcast, he was born the same year as the emperor, and both the men’s sons were born on the same day. It shows the parallelism that the world can involve. The emperor’s son is born in a privileged life while Kazu’s son was born in a low-income family. Equally, it talks about the theme of death as his son’s life was cut short by an early death at the age of 21 for natural reasons. The emperor and his son will live a healthy and privilege life while Kazu would live his afterlife as a homeless man, the same as when he was alive. “I did not live with intent; I only lived”. This is a critique of life in Japan as the author is a Korean minority living in Japan.

The story is a continuous back and forward to his past life, from his son to his wife. We can clearly seen that his life was not extremely lucky. He was one of the men that helped construct the Japan we now know but he never got to live the glory. It is not completely clear if he is really a ghost or just the image of a homeless man that becomes invisible from the point of view of society. However, it shows how he really does become a ghost. He hears conversation of people leaving the station about normal and mundane things. He focuses a lot in clothes and what people are wearing, a symbol of money and privilege.

Time in this novel is not conformist. It keeps changing from present to past and to future one interrupting the other without further explanation. It keeps turning into a sad tone however, he is not hopeless or guilty of his living situation. He is calm as he listens to what other people discuss and what other people say.

This novel has become one of my favourite Japanese novels. It is filled with beautiful narrative and descriptions but my favourite part is the way it is written. The use of time is not confusing, it is exactly what it should be. It goes back and forward interrupting itself as to show how a real mind works. Life is not a straight line, just like the book, you do not turn a page and see another, you pass the page and there is a blank page, waiting to be written on.

Yoko Ogawa’s Beautiful talent - The Housekeeper and the Professor

Yoko Ogawa’s famous novel The Housekeeper and the Professor has been stuck in my mind since I finished it a couple of weeks ago. This is the second novel that I’ve read from Ogawa, and I can only say good things about the book, style and fabulous use of language I have encountered in the novel. Stephen Snyder, the translator of the novel, has outdone himself with this fabulous translation of the story, it does not lose all the magnificence that the original has. The new housekeeper has to take care of the genius mathematician whose memory only lasts up to 80 minutes, making him extremely hard to deal with as his memories are still ‘stuck’ back in 1970. The Professor has to remind himself of the painful reality that his life has become even if he doesn’t realise we, later on, find out how he loses himself every day when he wakes up, finding himself in the heartbreaking reality he lives through.

This heartwarming story made me smile and cry, seen through the eyes of the Housekeeper makes us see all the touching parts of this terrible reality. The characters are well developed, and I can surely say that I felt complete empathetic and understanding to all of the characters, including the widow. My favourite thing in books is when the narrator doesn’t give a name to the characters. In this book, none of the characters has a proper name, but they are given a name characterising them. Giving a name to characters will always give a level of unconscious biases in my mind. Ogawa effectively removes that biased immediately and gives our three main characters names what describes them as differentiating them from each other. It also makes complete sense as the story suggests it would be too difficult to give the characters names as it follows the story of a person who does not remember anything.

This book is also compelling thanks to the useful use of mathematics. Ogawa has made a book about mathematics and a mathematics Professor interesting even to those who do not enjoy or understand maths. She uses interesting concepts and does not overuse them, which make the story more real. We can really get into the Housekeeper’s mind and see the Professor’s reactions to everyday normal life. I also appreciated the Housekeeper mentions the small details like his hate for carrots or his fear of the barber. I believe that this book will be going down in history for its exquisiteness and elegance.

The Housekeeper starts a new job with the Professor thinking it would be a normal job just like the others she had been fired off. However, the single mother forms a powerful bond with the Professor when his son (later named by the Professor Root), joins the party. The theme of family is strongly connected to the Housekeeper’s background; however, it does not develop into the word's fundamental meaning but rather the idea of forming a bond with people you do not share blood with. This part of the tale is strongly developed; I could feel every emotion clearly. The professor has a strong bond with children that can be seen in his sweet friendship with Root, we never get the reason behind it, but it really made me appreciate the Professor. Thanks to this, I see him more like a human being and less like a broken man. I love the power this connection between the Housekeeper and Root and the professor is the same even if the Professor forgets about them every day. He is a man of his word and does not forget to be so even if he has forgotten what he promised in the first place.

This idea of family is present when they have to create a sense of tenderness with their new way of living, and we would not feel otherwise if he were not to forget them every day. I mean that both the housekeeper and Root have to adapt to their new ways of living. They have created a new system that will make their experience with the Professor more comfortable even if they have to go out of their way. There is a strong relationship between the Professor and Root that we don’t really see with him and the Housekeeper. They share these amazing tastes in sports and trading cards that the Housekeeper seems even to want to understand. As root never really has a father figure in his life and the Professor never has kids, this is where both characters take their places. This bond is carried out throughout the book, and it makes it one of my favourite things about the story. Children in books are usually irrelevant or annoying, and in this case, Root is an important character that greatly changes the professor. The 11-year-old kid will show the importance of accepting everyone, even if the circumstances are not ideal.

I have a strong hatred for mathematics, always had. But this book had me reaching out for my phone constantly trying to understand the different math problems the professor asked. The use of mathematics in the novel is used to the perfect amount. There is not too much making it seem like the whole purpose of the novel is a math class, but rather it makes us see the connection the professor has with maths. It is the only real thing he remembers and comforts him in his strangely uncomfortable situations. Ogawa doesn’t use overly easy mathematical concepts or problems, and she makes them difficult enough and interesting enough to make it more real, which makes me appreciate this story more. The Professor seeks comfort in all the numbers he studied on a day-to-day basis. As the Housekeeper realises this, she is quick enough to make a similar connection in her life. There is this moment where she goes into the town’s library to seek for an answer to a Professor’s problem. Even I was invested in answer to that problem! I feel like mathematics in this book have a strong meaning to all the characters. The Housekeeper sees mathematics as her escape from normal life and as something she can learn from. Her education had never been too carefully developed, and the Professor’s teaching makes her feel like education is for everyone and not only for those who are fortunate. The Professor sees warmth and safety in numbers and problems. Without them, the Professor would possibly not be the same person, and surely he would not have a purpose in life. For Root, math connects him with his dear friend the Professor, even so, the book ends with us finding out that Root becomes a mathematics professor, a great end to the story.

This glorious story will be forever stuck in my mind. The use of language, the themes explored, and the compelling characters will be forever in my mind. It has touched me many different ways and I can’t say enough of how well Ogawa’s and Snyder’s final result has ended up being. I will continue to seek comfort in the wonderful and elegant words of Ogawa’s work and continue to praise her art.

The Hypnotic Prophesy by Murakami - Kafka on the Shore

Days after finishing this book, my mind is still filled with questions. Kafka on the shore had me on the edge of my seat for most of my reading time. It has been an interesting read that has been stuck in my head for a few days now. I had so many questions that went unanswered that I had to get up and pace around my room, looking for the answers in my head and writing it down on a piece of paper. This enigmatic novel is for sure one of the best books I have ever read, and sharing it could be my greatest delight.

Kafka, the 15-year-old, runs away from his father’s prophesy: he will have to kill his father and sleep with both his mother and sister. This prophecy takes him through a journey of self-discovery and understanding of himself and consequently his soul, something he does not realise once he sets off. For me, Kafka is filled with guilt and fear, even if he wants to see himself as the “toughest 15-year-old”. We learn so much about this boy throughout the whole story that we don’t realise that we start to think about him without having to read the book. I started realising his thought and I started seeing what he saw. We get to know his insecurities and strengths, which usually takes me more time to grasp when reading other books. Kafka ends up in Takamatsu’s library, where his adventure starts. This book is filled with self-discovery and understanding of what it means to be alone. Kafka tried to see himself as independent but ends up boring close bonds with Oshima, Miss Saeki and Sakura.

At the same time, another story of a man that had been affected by an accident during the Second World War in the same town where Kafka is originally from unfolds, parallel to Kafka. He loses his ability to read and write and is considered now ‘dumb’. Nakata now has the ability to talk to cats as a reward for losing the other abilities. He is a cat catcher in the town and lives in a sub-city. His luck changes the moment he meets Jonnie Walker who forces him to murder him. He then feels guided by a strange force that takes him in the direction of a so-called entrance stone. The narration of this part of the story is different to kafka’s as this is seen through third-person omniscient narration. Nakata lacks the strong human emotions that the other characters possess, although he is not entirely humanless. This makes the scenes greatly appreciated, as his eyes lack a sense of fear and hatred or love and esteem. One of the best examples on this is the scene of Jonnie Walker and the terrible murder of the three cats, which were a repulsive and horrible moment in the story that had me stopping and rereading those illustrative awful crimes.

While we join both characters through their journeys, we meet other names, such as Sakura, a young girl that Kafka meets on the bus. We also meet Oshima, who is a transgender gay man that works at the library. This man is where I felt the reality was centred. I mean by this, even though Oshima focused his life on metaphors, he is the only one I would not connect with magic. He understands all that Kafka explains, but his life is more based on what he reads and believes; this stroked me, as the rest of the story is found more in magical and extraordinary things. We also meet Miss Saeki, the broken librarian who only wears blue. On the other side of the spectrum, Nakata also meets Hoshino, an enjoyable and compelling truck driver that brings words to Nakata’s thoughts.

This story takes many twists and turns that cannot be described unless you read the unsettling words Murakami writes. It is considered magical realism as a realistic narrative and neutralist techniques combined with magical and surreal dream-like elements. This technique can also be seen in other famous novels like A Hundred Years of Solitude and Midnight’s Children. This makes the story more compelling, as there is the right amount of magical description used. There is not too much on soul passing or time travelling and does not give too much importance to the surreal events such as fish or leeches rain. This is one of my favourite use of narrative, as it brings mesmerising elements to a mundane world.

We can see the real Haruki Murakami in the words that he writes. As in many of his novels, cats take an essential role in the plot of this book. We also can see the love he had for art, literature and especially music, and Western culture. This love for the arts is blended with magical descriptions of the emotions that the characters feel when meeting different art forms. One of my favourite parts is Hoshino’s first contact with classical music, which does not take much into the plot but shows how Hoshino is developing and evolving into a new person. This is, of course, the retelling of the Oedipus myth of the self-fulfilling prophecy but with the words and views of the literary Japanese genius Murakami. Like Murakami, in much of Kafka’s works, he blends unsettling and terrifying magical elements with realism to portray isolated characters dealing with modern life's absurdity.

There are three themes explored in this novel. The mind and the body in the story is also described as metaphysical due to the change in tenses and perspectives. There is only a thin gap between the unconsciousness and the actions our physical body takes part in. There is also a great deal of talk about the soul, something that brings us closer to Japanese culture and believes it is more concerned with Japan's Buddhist ideas.

Kafka's explicit use of fate and prophecy shows us how chance and beliefs can affect our lives. He is driven by his obsession with unproven prophesies his father has put upon him. However, he does not realise how this is affecting his own life and his relationships with other people as he makes his life mission to improve the prophecy. This shows the relationship between the concuss self and the unconscious that follows what life takes you or whether your beliefs take you.

There are three themes explored in this novel. The mind and the body in the story is also described as metaphysical due to the change in tenses and perspectives. There is only a thin gap between the unconsciousness and the actions our physical body takes part in. There is also a great deal of talk about the soul, something that brings us closer to Japanese culture and believes it is more concerned with Japan's Buddhist ideas.

Kafka's explicit use of fate and prophecy shows us how chance and beliefs can affect our lives. He is driven by his obsession with unproven prophesies his father has put upon him. However, he does not realise how this is affecting his own life and his relationships with other people as he makes his life mission to improve the prophecy. This shows the relationship between the concuss self and the unconscious that follows what life takes you or whether your beliefs take you.