Hello Bookworms, the year has ended. Assuming you didn’t already know. Perhaps you’ve been in some sleeping beauty nap situation; if so, I am here to inform you that it is officially 2024. I had talked in a previous post about how much reading meant to me, where I touched on the particular benefits (I had always known, but became accentuated when I read less), as 2022 was a year in which I read substantially less than I had ever in my life before. We are back on track, not hitting the typical 100 book range, but a solid 82 this year. I genuinely have never been one to care about quantity. The only benefit I see to reading more books in general, apart from the fact that you experience the wonders of reading more often, is that we are all bound to stumble on some mediocre books. The more I read, the less I find the bad ones aggravate me. 2023 was a year that I felt genuinely touched by books. I am unsure if my perspective or the authors I got to know this year led to this. It’s not that books haven’t moved me in the past. But there was something special, and so foreign, in the amount of remarkable reading I had. Never before has this number of novels left me feeling as invigorated and uninhibited.
“but at the end of class, I still felt slightly annoyed towards Ivan, the way you feel towards someone in real life after they say something mean to you in a dream. Instead of taking the stairs with him as usual, I took the elevator.”
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Dear The Idiot, to whom I so deeply connected with, as I read it. It’s not the sole fact that I am also a girl in university, and I am Turkish. This book felt frighteningly applicable. I do believe something is unnerving in relatability. I have always found it strange that many people long to relate with others, their peers, and the famous figures they admire. Why is that relatability desired? I understand the superficial longing to fit in, but beyond our brief insecurity, I think growth will only come when courage is displayed. The courage to respect yourself enough, to give yourself the freedom to be who you are. The idea of becoming an unidentifiable figure among a crowd scares me. And so, I took a break from reading this when I reached the halfway point. Selin, the main character, became dislikable to me, and I was propelled to face what I disliked about her, to what I sometimes found critical within myself. She is incredibly judgemental, pessimistic, and ultimately egotistical. I think she has an exquisite mind and is an apparent literary talent. But she and I were not the same. However, I will thank the book for allowing me a moment of self-reflection, as I could observe the spirals Selin’s mind entered and entertained. With a mind that would turn to dread and negativity, she couldn’t create barriers that a mature mind would develop. Obstacles formed walls with ease, and would halt progress.
I read The Idiot at a time when I desired stability in my life, and it confused me how this sense of being out of control I was facing in my own life had seeped into the books I read. This was a beautiful piece of writing, and Elif Batuman comes off as a strong woman; I don’t doubt that every work she delivers will leave me with this mix of compelling admiration and reverence for the terror it brings.
Dear Margaret Atwood, one of my comfort authors, thank you for being so predictable. Providing what I need, when I need it, time and time again. Old Babes in the Wood is a collection of short stories, some better than others, but all reeking of Atwood’s beautiful storytelling.
To my first Silvia Plath? Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom: I am mortified it has taken me 20 years to read her work. But something was intimidating about her notoriety. Not one to typically stray from a novel I fear will be far too well-written; all I can say is that the barrier has been overcome.
Funnily enough, this short story gets better with each re-read. It gives HUGE grade 11 English class vibes, as every word and page can be analyzed about 40 times. I miss the times when we would do this. I can see myself highlighting every word she’s written. The mystery between the lines is impressive. There’s passion and depth compacted in its short length.
“People who believe that they are strong-willed and the masters of their destiny can only continue to believe this by becoming specialists in self-deception.”
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
To an exceptional read. Both because of the month it was read and the dear friend I read it with. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin is a stunning five-star read. It is almost beyond words. My full review will be posted; however, it will take me some time to write, mostly because I enter a state of limbo when attempting to convey my thoughts coherently. Months after I turned the last page, the feeling I had then remains. The stupefaction and dismay of its ending, and the pure will I have to conserve forever, is a testament to how Baldwin writes. This book would be a contender if one could lie in beautifully written pages forever.
He can write such authentic and dark characters. I empathized with this man, who had vital flaws that cannot be overlooked. He continuously made solipsistic and immature judgements that hurt him and, worse, those who worshiped him. Yet, one couldn’t help but appreciate his traits.
This book felt like a breakthrough moment in my 2023 reading. It broke a wall I hadn’t noticed was there, almost launching me into a new orbit of excellent reads because I was truly blessed with five stars following this one.
Drum roll, please….Beartown time! Dear Beartown, It is an end-of-summer, jarring yet stimulating read. It felt like my grandfather had written this; Fredrik Backman has always given me that comfortable sentiment. Beartown…was a little disturbing. I very much enjoyed it, and it’s pretty impressive how Backman can sustain many side characters while keeping the storyline engaging and relevant. The setting was depicted perfectly, reminding me of how Where the Crawdads Sing was described. As someone who had team sports as a substantial part of her youth, the love and strength it takes to compete at such a level was communicated beautifully, and the small moments of family amongst the team touched me more than the ending itself.
“I want you always to remember me. Will you remember that I existed, and that I stood next to you here like this?”
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Now, where do I start with Norwegian Wood? My first Murakami. It seems 2023 was a year of many firsts. Norwegian Wood was a book that had me entranced immediately. I could’ve rated the book then and there. I have never felt the feeling of connection to every single character in a book as I did during the length of this book. The writing, not once, came off as inelegant; the author’s choices aligned perfectly with mine. It simply felt like this book was created for me. I never regret the time in which I read or discovered a book. Even in the previous case with Plath, I believe certain books and authors come into my life just when they are meant to. However, I would’ve given anything to read this earlier. But at the same time, the place I am in with my mental development and growth also lends it to have the impact it does currently. I perceive this book as perfect now, whereas perhaps some choices characters make may bother me in the future. And for this, I cannot wait to reread Norwegian Wood in 2, 5, and 10 years.
Dear My Dark Vanessa, we had a short relationship. A three-hour speed-run read, spent with Erin in a tent in the depths of a forest in Honduras. No internet, all alone, crying in a tent. I hope this sets quite the scene because it had me balling in the middle of the day. There is no better book to read in the middle of nowhere. Trust me.
“For as many times as the horrible thing happens, a thousand times in every day the horrible thing passes us by.”
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
Dear Ann Patchet, I first heard of you, with you in my ear, as I listened to an audiobook called These Precious Days. A collection of essays has made me recognize my introduction to incredible authors tends to be coincidental with the most unexpected of their work. Something is welcoming about the first read to popular and well-acclaimed authors feeling quieter. I can slowly immerse myself into their backlog, slithering my way into their works rather than reading the one hit and vamoosing. We become familiarised, they turn into a friend, and their known works, as a result, read better.
These Precious Days is a non-fiction of perfection. Not one essay is dull or resembles another. With this read, I declared Ann, my honourary godmother and moved on to The Dutch House. This is a captivating read. Per the reviews, I listened to the audiobook and was not disappointed by the narration; Tom Hanks, something about his voice, succeeded in effortlessly coming off as the main character. The main character is enthralling. It’s an incredibly nuanced story dealing with childhood trauma, complex sibling relationships, and the way we perceive trauma. It was ART. Family dynamics have always been something I seek in writing. The decisions that affect a child and how they play out so differently depending on the individual captivates me. The main character was just one example of the way parental decisions, both poor and good ones, have lasting effects on a person. We can never outrun these things, and that’s what the narrator tries to do.
With themes of abandonment wrapped around the impossible idea of a perfect parent, I think this book is ravishing and influential. The Dutch House (review coming) paints a landscape of a young boy’s mind in an adult body, showcasing his seemingly stunted growth. Primarily affected by his perception of his father and his inability to deal with traumatic events, this naivety is dangerous. Danny, the main character, refuses to deal with the unpleasantness of specific circumstances in his life, preferring to bear a burden that continues to get heavier with time.
If you are looking for some comedic relief, allow me to recommend Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. I’ve been repeatedly running myself into a wall for having taken this long to discover him. I suppose this is now a pattern. Oh well. This is a funny book that never feels forced or awkward. Please read that again, as it’s scarce. And this isn’t an observation to be judgemental; it’s evident how difficult humour is when suiting an expansive audience. But this book seems to defy any challenge that faces other novels. All the stories in this book are essentially bite-sized, and it’s both light-hearted and intriguing.
“I thought about all the things I had never told Nick about myself, and I started to feel better then, as if my privacy extended all around me like a barrier protecting my body.”
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Oh man, to Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney did it again. A rollercoaster of emotions for any reader. Before this read, I would characterize my relationship with Rooney as tumultuous. The first read of her earlier novels had me questioning my true enjoyment, as she has a unique writing style and unapologetically bold characters. They are sometimes harsh and cold, and there is tension concerning the text. I find it’s a real relationship, arguing with the character in my mind, struggling to understand them, demanding they change and explain themselves.
When I read Conversations with Friends, I was used to Rooney, which was more comfortable. I truly felt adoration for this novel, a little bit of comfort, since I had this immense fondness, surrounded by a shadow of confusion. There is so much enigma with how much she writes. It’s a never-ending riddle. And I love it. She writes one sentence, and I come out with five questions.
2023 was also a year of crossing off a lot of books I was too lazy to acquire previously. As I read from the library, it can often be tedious to wait for books to become available. I bit the bullet with this feeling and just accepted I would have to read some books when the hold was available at an unfortunate time. Fortunately, this worked out, resulting in a lovely, diverse catalogue of books I came to enjoy.
An example of this, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, is one I had kept putting off reading, as the title was always unavailable on the off-chance I thought of reading it. Funnily enough, I ended up reading this one twice. And this is because I FELL asleep during the first run of the audio. How amazing is that this book about a girl, her slumber, and her comfortable pillows was a lullaby to me. If you are having trouble sleeping one night, the audiobook is seemingly an incredible hack for rest.
Reading On A Star 
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