Coronavirus quarantine month #2 in the books!…Literally and figuratively as I spent a lot of it in a book. :)
Only got through three books this month - mainly because I decided to (finally) purchase myself an iPad and Apple pencil to work on my
Here’s everything I read this month:
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
A Woman Is No Man is a heavy, but excellent read that spans decades and chronicles the gender roles and norms of Palestinian men and women both in their homeland and as immigrants in New York City. Though at times it seems like time and distance would make those two worlds very different and far apart, this story shows how they are not. This book had me reflecting on structures of oppression are how complicated it becomes when abusive behaviors become ingrained as a core part of a culture. The book focuses a lot of region, specifically Islam, and the role women, and shows how rigid cultural gender roles can push people to the edge and can perpetuate generational violence. This is certainly not a comprehensive analysis of this extremely complex and nuanced issue, but the book gives you a lot of great things to think about.
Overall Score: A
Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
Just like Samantha's previous novel, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, that I also read recently, Wow, No Thank You, is painstakingly honest, fairly graphic, and above all, laugh out loud funny. This book club book pick is exactly what I needed during this time of quarantine and social distance woes.
Sam Irby is quite possibly the most authentic person I have ever felt like I have met. "Sure sex is fun, but have you..." had me laughing so had and probably annoying my boyfriend in the same room as I interrupted his own reading time to read yet another snippet out loud for him to enjoy too.
Overall Score: B+
Normal People by Sally Rooney
I picked this one next because I had heard a lot about it and then saw it was coming out as a Hulu series and, as an avid binge watcher, I wanted to make sure I read it first.
The characters are what make this novel so interesting. Connell and Marianne's relationship, while always tumultuous and probably unhealthy, was full of passion. The characters were flawed and messy, which made them feel very authentic. I also enjoyed the characters' contemplation around the concept or idea of being a "good person."
The writing style is interesting, hopping back and forth between focusing on Connell's and Marianne's perspectives as well as between the past and present. However, I did find that the style made it feel a bit disjointed. It would just skip a bunch of months out of nowhere.
Normal People is pretty different from the books I typically enjoy, but there was something about it that kept me reading.
Overall Score: B-