March Round-Up

Somehow around my job, internship, masters degree and a trip to London Book Fair I’ve managed to read more books this month than I have in a long time. So until some of the full reviews pop up on my blog to discuss them, I thought I’d do a wee round-up of the books my nose was frequently stuck in throughout March. (Links to buy in the headings!)

More Than This – Patrick Ness

A boy wakes up in a deserted, suburban English street after dying in America. You follow Seth as he desperately tries to work out where he is and what’s happened. Has he woken up in Hell? The Void? The possibilities are, unfortunately, endless. Seth must work out on his own what’s happening to him whilst surviving in this isolated wasteland.

Ness once again delivers a beautifully written monster as you are constantly left wondering, what the hell is going on? You’re never left frustrated, however, as Ness has mastered the perfect level of pacing when slowly revealing the coveted information about the world you find yourself immersed in, fearful for the protagonist and sympathetic of his plights. Full of unimaginable twists and thrills, this is a must read if you’re looking for something poignant yet exiting.

Mary’s The Name – Ross Sayers

When 8-year-old Mary witnesses a robbery at the bookies where her Granpa works, he decides it’s time to ditch the central-belt of Scotland for a quiet life on the Isle of Skye. However, it becomes clear to Mary that something isn’t quite right as suddenly their new, peaceful life is a little more dangerous than she realised.

This book is heart-warming, heart-breaking and heart-wrenching all at the same time. Mary’s observations of class, family, friendship and crime make for a unique and fresh approach to the crime genre. As someone who grew up in a working-class family in the central belt of Scotland, Mary’s early years in Stirling struck home as familiar landmarks, struggles and observations came to light. If you’re looking for something different and full of Scottish charm, I can’t recommend this book enough!

Nasty Women- 404 Ink

A book hailed by the incredible Margaret Atwood as an ‘essential’ read, Nasty Women is a collection of essays and personal accounts exploring what it is to be a woman in the 21st century.  This book is ultimately a giant ‘fuck-you’ to Trump (and the patriarchy, yaas), encouraging women to tell their stories- and tell them loud.

This book is full of inspiring women telling their stories that the world desperately needs to hear. They explore issues such as race, social class, sexual assault, problems with female contraceptive and sexism in the music industry. That’s just a tiny peek at what’s on offer, each essay helping me become a better intersectional feminist and seek to learn more about each area I was previously unfamiliar with. Easily one of the most important and influential books you’ll read, you should definitely pick it up (and join the rest of us in eagerly waiting/hoping for a future instalment!)

Passing – Nella Larsen

Irene Redfield enjoys a comfortable life in 1920s Harlem, married to physician with a good two and two happy, healthy kids. However, things change when she bumps into childhood friend, Clare, who has been ‘Passing’ as white in her life and marriage.

Irene’s struggles with Clare desperately trying to re-enter her life provide an insight into race and gender issues of the 1920s (many of these issues sadly still prominent today). This is a short yet gripping read with an ending you just need to talk about with someone.

Northern Lights – Philip Pullman

Lyra Belacqua and her daemon have lived a care-free childhood among the scholars of Jordan College. One day she overhears a conversation she shouldn’t have, and her world is tuned upside down as she’s dragged into a global conspiracy and suddenly has the power to make a real difference. Along the way she mets witch-clans, talking polar bears and an enigmatic Texan pilot who help her reach her goal.

When it was announced earlier this year that Philip Pullman was releasing more books in this series… I was indifferent. These books had somehow missed my radar as a child so I thought I should see what all the fuss was about. After flying through this, I completely understand. I plan to write a more in-depth post about my experience coming to these books as an adult in the future, so keep an eye out!

Geekerella – Ashley Poston

A contemporary re-telling of Cinderella (if the title didn’t give it away) in a age where the evil-stepsisters are way more terrifying armed with social media accounts. Full of fandom, pop-culture references and a digital-age love story, you can check out my full review of this must-read here.

The Outcasts of Time – Ian Mortimer

Two brothers are in the grip of the Black Death as it sweeps England in 1348. John and William are given an unexpected choice when they near their end- they can either spend their last six days with their families and risk infecting them, or save their soul by travelling 99-years into the future at the dawn of every new day.

As someone who studied Medieval English Literature and history, I was immediately drawn to this title and snapped up this proof copy. Due to be released in June, it’s clear this novel is set to be a summer smash-hit. The premise is certainly unique, it’s gruesome and gritty but… something feels a little off with me. I’m not quite finished, but I feel that the insights the characters gave into the black plague were nothing I couldn’t find in my history books, or glean from Chaucer. The author is an esteemed historian but I was hoping for a little more emotional turmoil and perhaps some facts about the effects of this disease I wouldn’t have known. There’s also the issue of misogyny. It was, of course, rife in Medieval England as women were treated purely as objects unable to own land or permitted to read and write. Obviously these characters carry these prejudices but… I mean, if Chaucer himself can be considered to have delivered feminist themes, then I feel the scathing attitude towards women the writer exhibits could have been a little less so. However, I’ve yet to reach the end so these thoughts are a little premature.

An Essay on Typography- Eric Gill

I originally picked up this essay, which argues that ‘a good piece of lettering is as beautiful a thing to see as any sculpture or painted picture,’ because I was having trouble understanding the ‘aesthetic’ of fonts for my Publishing Project at uni. I had little awareness of what fonts complimented each other or why they didn’t, so I picked up this book (first published in 1931) to try and gain an underlying understanding of the art of typography. It’s definitely been a great help, and even if you aren’t doing a project this book provides a fascinating insight into how fonts developed due to influences in the pre-war era. Gill explores issues of industrialism and the changing times, which was a pleasant surprise as I ended up learning a little more about history too.