I'm quite delayed on posts, so here's the first in an attempt to catch up.
This summer I did a Bible study looking at the life of David, and reflecting on the books I read this summer, I'm reminded of 2 Samuel 11:1 - "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war..." I really feel like my spring reading was all about war which meant lots of tears. Here's a look at what I was reading:
Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - This was a gorgeous book written about two very different sisters during World War II. The atrocities of what they survived during that time period are incredible, and heartbreaking, and make me think how I would never, ever survive war. On the continuum of devastating to happy ending, this books lands somewhere in the middle - not quite as sad as All the Light We Cannot See (also about France in WWII), but also not quite as happy as the next book listed (for a change of pace, looking at France during WWI). The author employs dual narration with first person narrator in the present time (and you're not quite sure which sister's perspective it is until the end) and then omnipotent third person in the past. I'm not a huge fan of first person narration, but it was in limited batches here. This book was the first I've read by Kristin Hannah, and I'd like to try some more of hers. Any recommendations? You'll see from my summer reading list, that I'm taking a break from tragedy for a bit, though.
The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes - I was willing to take a second chance Jojo Moyes after the extremely anger-inducing Me Before You. (I'm not sure whether I'll be able to read the recently released sequel to that book, After You). The Girl You Left Behind was also about sisters during war in France. It also involved contemporary and historical story lines, although there was much more focus on the contemporary plot in this novel as compared to Nightingale. (Do you ever wondering if authors are given a writing prompt like "sisters in France during war with art involved? I swear they must be given how many books on similar topics come out at the same time). Anyway, even without Nazis, war in France is absolutely devastating. The choices characters are forced to make between something awful and something also equally but differently awful are heart wrenching. Of the three war-in-France books I've read this year, this one did end up at the closest end of the spectrum to happily ever after, though. It probably had the worst writing of the three, though. Not that it was bad writing, but it is being compared to the absolute gorgeous (yet tragic) prose of a Pulitzer Prize winner (All the Light...).
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson - another Pulitzer Prize winner, and while this book maybe isn't strictly about war, it is about North Korea, so basically the same thing. This book was a totally fascinating look behind the curtain at one of the least know countries in the world. Even though it's fictional, it's so meticulously researched that it seems like non-fiction. Even having lived in a communist country that borders NK, some of the viewpoints on the West were simply fascinating (i.e. instead of the government providing food for its people, in America, citizens must work for pieces of paper that they then stand in line to exchange for food). Mostly, I think this is a book about a government that's declared war on it's own people. Fascinating, and fantastical in some of its creativity, this book also devastatingly showcases pain, horror, and the reality of life when there's no good choice to make.
Ok, that's spring reading. Stay tuned for summer reading which is going to look like complete fluff after this list.
This summer I did a Bible study looking at the life of David, and reflecting on the books I read this summer, I'm reminded of 2 Samuel 11:1 - "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war..." I really feel like my spring reading was all about war which meant lots of tears. Here's a look at what I was reading:
Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - This was a gorgeous book written about two very different sisters during World War II. The atrocities of what they survived during that time period are incredible, and heartbreaking, and make me think how I would never, ever survive war. On the continuum of devastating to happy ending, this books lands somewhere in the middle - not quite as sad as All the Light We Cannot See (also about France in WWII), but also not quite as happy as the next book listed (for a change of pace, looking at France during WWI). The author employs dual narration with first person narrator in the present time (and you're not quite sure which sister's perspective it is until the end) and then omnipotent third person in the past. I'm not a huge fan of first person narration, but it was in limited batches here. This book was the first I've read by Kristin Hannah, and I'd like to try some more of hers. Any recommendations? You'll see from my summer reading list, that I'm taking a break from tragedy for a bit, though.
The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes - I was willing to take a second chance Jojo Moyes after the extremely anger-inducing Me Before You. (I'm not sure whether I'll be able to read the recently released sequel to that book, After You). The Girl You Left Behind was also about sisters during war in France. It also involved contemporary and historical story lines, although there was much more focus on the contemporary plot in this novel as compared to Nightingale. (Do you ever wondering if authors are given a writing prompt like "sisters in France during war with art involved? I swear they must be given how many books on similar topics come out at the same time). Anyway, even without Nazis, war in France is absolutely devastating. The choices characters are forced to make between something awful and something also equally but differently awful are heart wrenching. Of the three war-in-France books I've read this year, this one did end up at the closest end of the spectrum to happily ever after, though. It probably had the worst writing of the three, though. Not that it was bad writing, but it is being compared to the absolute gorgeous (yet tragic) prose of a Pulitzer Prize winner (All the Light...).
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson - another Pulitzer Prize winner, and while this book maybe isn't strictly about war, it is about North Korea, so basically the same thing. This book was a totally fascinating look behind the curtain at one of the least know countries in the world. Even though it's fictional, it's so meticulously researched that it seems like non-fiction. Even having lived in a communist country that borders NK, some of the viewpoints on the West were simply fascinating (i.e. instead of the government providing food for its people, in America, citizens must work for pieces of paper that they then stand in line to exchange for food). Mostly, I think this is a book about a government that's declared war on it's own people. Fascinating, and fantastical in some of its creativity, this book also devastatingly showcases pain, horror, and the reality of life when there's no good choice to make.
Ok, that's spring reading. Stay tuned for summer reading which is going to look like complete fluff after this list.
Jen-- I didn't know you had a blog. How fantastic! I love that you are reviewing books on here too. I am always looking for the next good read.
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Thanks, Portia! I've been really haphazard about updating it, but want to get back into writing more. Hope you're doing well!!
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