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Book review: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Author: Matt Haig
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Science Fiction
Publisher: Viking
Publication date: 29th September 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?
In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting blockbuster novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
My review:
“Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices… Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”
The Midnight Library is a moving and thought-provoking exploration of how the infinite possibilities and choices we make shape our lives. This beautifully written book takes readers on an incredible journey through the life of Nora Seed, a woman who finds herself at a crossroads and discovers a mysterious library where she can choose a vast number of books that reveal how her life may have turned out if she had made different choices.
I was particularly taken by the key theme revolving around regret and the what-ifs that we always find ourselves looking back on. After an extremely difficult period, Nora enters the Midnight Library and explores these parallel lives. Through this exploration she starts to question her identity, purpose and the true meaning of happiness. As usual waith Matt Haig’s books, the character development from start to finish is tremeandous and by the end it almost appears that Nora is a completely different person with a newfound vision of who she is.
The writing is expressive and engrossing as Matt Haig weaves in between the past, present and future with ease, capturing the emotional character of the different lives in each book. The pacing is excellent and I was constantly rushing to turn the page and follow Nora on her journey to find herself and what truly makes her happy. The other minor characters were also carefully chosen and represented different stages of her potential lives.
The Midnight Library is a treasure of a book. I sat holding this book and reflected on it a long time after reading the last page, contemplating on how the smallest decisions in our lives have the biggest impact without us consciously knowing it. With this book Matt Haig has created a timeless literary masterpeice and one that I will come back to and recommend to everyone around me for a long time. It is by far his greatest book to date and I am eager to read his next novel.
“Every life contains many millions of decisions. Some big, some small. But every time one decision is taken over another, the outcomes differ. An irreversible variation occurs, which in turn leads to further variations”
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Book review: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Macmillan
Publication date: 2nd February 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman’s only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows.
By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa’s tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive.
In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family.
The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.”
My review:
The Four Winds narrates the bitter and heartbreaking story of the dangers, hardships and tragedies that millions of people across the United States faced during the Great Depression. Following the Martinelli family through a treacherous journey from the Great Plains to southern California, the reader is immersed into a riveting storyline full of ups and downs that profoundly reveal what it means to be human.
I was immediately drawn to the main character, Elsa, who is described by others as plain and dull but soon shows to possess many wonderful qualities as a mother and later on as a leader. Even though her life is filled with misfortune and trouble from an early age, she never ceases to amaze with her determination to provide the best possible life to her family. Her wonderful children and parents-in-law were all beautifully developed and multi-layered characters and I also enjoyed getting to know the other minor characters that were introduced later in the book when the family moved to California.
The journey across the US is not an easy one for Elsa and her children as they come across hunger, poverty and many people with ill intentions. Kristin Hannah is brilliant at storytelling and, just like her past books, she is a master at making the reader feel completely immersed in the plot and connected with the characters. It was hard to read certain parts in the book and witness the struggles this family, and many others, lived through. However, the courage and resilience that each character showed during these moments of hardship were incredible and there were several distinct moments in the book that are hard to forget.
Few books have made me stop and reflect on life, but somehow Kristin Hannah’s books are always at the top of that list. Although my heart felt heavy while reading most of this book, I cannot recommend it enough. This period was an incredibly difficult time for many and is often underrepresented in books so I am pleased to see it highlighted in The Four Winds. It’s a poignant story with wonderful characters that should be read by all, even those who may not originally think of reading a Historical Fiction book. I cannot wait for the next book by this author as I already know that it would be another great read.
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Book review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Title: A Man Called Ove
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Sceptre
Publication date: 3rd July 2014
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“The word-of-mouth bestseller causing a sensation across Europe, Fredrik Backman’s heartwarming debut is a funny, moving, uplifting tale of love and community that will leave you with a spring in your step.
At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet. He thinks himself surrounded by idiots – neighbours who can’t reverse a trailer properly, joggers, shop assistants who talk in code, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d’etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents’ Association. He will persist in making his daily inspection rounds of the local streets.
But isn’t it rare, these days, to find such old-fashioned clarity of belief and deed? Such unswerving conviction about what the world should be, and a lifelong dedication to making it just so? In the end, you will see, there is something about Ove that is quite irresistible..”
My review:
“A time like that comes for every man, when he chooses what sort of man he wants to be. And if you don’t know the story, you don’t know the man.”
A Man Called Ove takes the reader on an adventure from the first page. Ove lives a simple life and doesn’t care for nonsense. He strives to complete his duties and doesn’t understand his neighbours who drive lavish cars and work fancy jobs. I soon began to admire Ove’s outlook on life and was intrigued to find out more about his background.
This book marks some of the most distinct traits of Fredrik Backman’s writing. His main strength is the ability to develop a main character to such an extent that by the end the character seems like a close friend to share secrets with. I often found myself laughing along with Ove at some of the mishaps and events written in a similar fashion to other books by this author. The highs were contrasted by lows when we discover that Ove’s wife had died years ago. Despite the trauma and suffering, Ove bounced back to become a dutiful neighbour and citizen in his own bizarre way.
I admire Fredrik Backman’s unique way of combining tragedy and humour to create a genuine connection and hint that there is always something to look forward to even in our darkest moments. Few authors are able to achieve this without it seeming distasteful yet somehow Fredrik Backman manages to do it with ease.
There are not enough superlatives to use when describing this book. For me it was simply marvelous and a delight to read from beginning to end. I didn’t want it to finish and by the end I could already imagine myself as Ove’s neighbour. I highly recommend it to readers of all ages and tastes as I am sure that there are many messages to reflect upon no matter what stage of life. Ultimately, it is a celebration of life and a reminder that every moment with loved ones matters.
“Time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks, years. One of the most painful moments in a person’s life probably comes with the insight that an age has been reached when there is more to look back on than ahead.”
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Book review: Beast by Matt Wesolowski
Title: Beast
Author: Matt Wesolowski
Genre: Crime/Horror
Publisher: Orenda Books
Publication date: 20th December 2019
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“Elusive online journalist Scott King examines the chilling case of a young vlogger found frozen to death in the legendary local ‘vampire tower’, in another explosive episode of Six Stories…
In the wake of the ‘Beast from the East’ cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as ‘The Vampire Tower’, where she was later found frozen to death.
Three young men, part of an alleged ‘cult’, were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a ‘prank gone wrong’. However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton’s death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible.
Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, the tragic and chilling legend of the ‘Ergarth Vampire’…
Both a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society’s desperation for attention, Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…”
My review:
After reading Changeling last year, I was convinced that The Six Stories series would quickly become one of my favourites and was eager to find out if Beast would live up to its predecessors. I was pleased that it surpassed by expectations in several aspects and managed to devour it in two sittings.
Scott King is back to tell another mysterious tale on his podcast in the same format as in previous books. Elizabeth Barton is brutally murdered in what appears to be a prank gone wrong. I was immediately taken aback by the revelation of the three murderers however this created an even greater need to unravel the mystery surrounding Elizabeth’s murder. He speaks to six witnesses who knew both the victim and murderers which allowed for brilliant character progression and also added an element of mystery. I never felt that there were too many or too few characters and we gradually discovered more through their interviews, including the type of relationship they had with the victim and murderers.
One of the most defining and unique aspects of the Six Stories series is the eerie atmosphere created in each setting. There are always events of supernatural nature hinted to be the cause of the murder and this is blended into the plot exceptionally well, never feeling too unrealistic but rather leaving the reader with an idea to consider as the plot progresses. This happened almost effortlessly in Beast with the vampire legends and I thoroughly enjoyed these supernatural elements. The setting of Ergarth as a small and sleepy town perfectly juxtaposed the horrific events during Elizabeth’s murder and created an ongoing uncertainty and unease until the end.
As the plot progressed and all interviewees had been introduced, I was finding it difficult to understand why the three suspects convicted of the murder performed the horrific act and was unsure of where the story was heading. However, the ending was a perfect representation of the complex nature of human emotions and actions. It left me speculating a set of moral questions as it touched upon relevant current day topics such as the dangers of social media, complex family relationships and the pressures of growing up. A truly magnificent read and brilliant addition to the Six Stories series, Beast quickly became one of my favourite reads of the year and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
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Book review: A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
Title: A Woman is No Man
Author: Etaf Rum
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harper
Publication date: 5th March 2019
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“Palestine, 1990. Seventeen-year-old Isra prefers reading books to entertaining the suitors her father has chosen for her. Over the course of a week, the naïve and dreamy girl finds herself quickly betrothed and married, and is soon living in Brooklyn. There Isra struggles to adapt to the expectations of her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam, a pressure that intensifies as she begins to have children – four daughters instead of the sons Fareeda tells Isra she must bear.
Brooklyn, 2008. Eighteen-year-old Deya, Isra’s oldest daughter, must meet with potential husbands at her grandmother Fareeda’s insistence, though her only desire is to go to college. Deya can’t help but wonder if her options would have been different had her parents survived the car crash that killed them when Deya was only eight. But her grandmother is firm on the matter: the only way to secure a worthy future for Deya is through marriage to the right man.
But fate has a will of its own, and soon Deya will find herself on an unexpected path that leads her to shocking truths about her family – knowledge that will force her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, the past, and her own future.
Set in an America at once foreign to many and staggeringly close at hand, A Woman Is No Man is a story of culture and honour, secrets and betrayals, love and violence. It is an intimate glimpse into a controlling and closed cultural world, and a universal tale about family and the ways silence and shame can destroy those we have sworn to protect.“
My review:
“I was born without a voice, one cold, overcast day in Brooklyn, New York. No one ever spoke of my condition. I did not know I was mute until years later, when I opened my mouth to ask for what I wanted and realized no one could hear me.”
A Woman is No Man explores the controversies and hardships in Muslim women’s lives spanning three generations and two continents. The contrast between the two timelines is surprisingly negligible as the differences between Isra’s life in the Palestine and her daughter Deya’s life in New York 18 years later are not so conflicting as one would imagine. Although Isra hoped for change and the possibility to voice her desires, she discovers soon after her marriage and move to New York that little has changed from her life in Palestine. This is a running theme which becomes more sombre as the story line develops and I had to stop reading at several particularly harrowing moments which were too difficult to endure.
I was completely taken aback at some of the scenes. The mere fact that thousands of women across the world still live without even thinking about the possibility of breaking their traditions and dreaming of lives different to those of their ancestors was too much. It was poignant and distressing how each woman ultimately yearned for the same basic needs in life despite growing up in different places. Some were more determined to stick to their traditions than others but they all wished for freedom of speech and respect.
“A daughter was only a temporary guest, quietly awaiting another man to scoop her away, along with all her financial burden.”
The characters in A Woman is No Man were all extremely well developed and it was easy to form a bond with each of them. By the end I found myself sympathising with Fareeda, wishing that Isra could escape in search for a better life and hoping that Deya would follow her dreams. The ending hit hard and left me numb and for a long time afterwards I struggled to concentrate on any other book. It was a perfect representation of these women’s struggles and painfully illustrated how precious and fragile life is.
Beautifully told with passion and care, A Woman is No Man captured my attention from the first word and left me experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions until the end. I am sure that this book has touched many readers and can only hope with this review that I encourage more people to read it.
“It took more than one woman to do things differently. It took a world of them.”