Lockdown Reading List
The last time I spoke about books here I mentioned falling into a reading rut. I’m happy to say that cloud has passed and I’ve spent most of lockdown devouring books and finding a new all time favourite to cherish.
To be honest, lockdown hasn’t affected me much. Sometimes it feels like the government has imposed my lifestyle on the rest of the country 😐 Ironically, I’d hoped to kick the hermit habit in 2020 after finishing my book. Although I hated my previous job it at least got me out of the house and interacting with other folk. The flow of real-life wit, humour and too-weird-to-be-true moments fuel a lot of my writing, so I’m craving less alone time…but that’s another post for another day! Onto my recent reads and what they’ve taught me as a writer.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power – I loved this one’s eerie, gritty atmosphere. Made more unsettling by taking place on an island amid a pandemic. The female friendships were authentic and the writing beautiful. As a writer I admire Power’s ability to drop the reader into the story and slowly tease out story details and character motivations. A lesson in language, character and atmosphere.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik – Going against the grain, but I didn’t enjoy Uprooted. The concept was cool but this book reminded me of the importance of showing a story, rather than telling it. Because Novik told the story I couldn’t deduce anything for myself. I was a passive reader, disconnected from the character Also, Sarkan is abusive towards Agnieszka. Nothing to root for in that relationship.
The Aisling Series by Emer McLysaght & Sarah Breen – At the start of the pandemic I had the staying power of a mayfly. Everything I picked up I couldn't finish. Then along came Aisling. Contemporary Romance is not my genre but I'd heard good things and will try anything once.
The Irish humour had me in stitches - observant and witty but humane too. A few poignant moments caught me off guard and I didn't expect to relate to Aisling on so many occasions - suppose I'm a country girl at heart, too! I’d recommend this series for anyone seeking light escapism. I read bits out loud to my boyfriend and he couldn't stop laughing either.
From a writing perspective I learned that relatable characters, authentic dialogue and a swift pace will suck me into a story just as easily (if not more so) than beautifully wrought language. As writers it’s tempting to spend hours making every sentence a work of art but a reader’s loyalty is to the story, and verbose language gets in the way.
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane – Not my cup of tea. Maybe the Aisling series was a one off? The initial premise - the protagonist left reeling at the shock termination of an 18 year relationship - grabbed me. But a turgid pace, predictable plot and character I couldn’t connect to made this short novel drag. While feminist in some aspects there was a lot of judgemental girl hate too, and some of the political asides felt on the nose.
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones – this was the all time cherishable favourite! A haunting read that ticked all the right boxes for me. Perfect balance of humour and uncaniness with a teen heroine that wasn't a clichè 'strong woman'.
I noticed on Goodreads that many found the relationship between Polly and Tom creepy, but teenagers do develop infatuations with adults. Besides, hero worship and what it means to be a hero is a central theme in the novel and Jones is careful to have most of the adult characters suspicious of Tom or even embarrassed for Tom as a result of Polly's crush.
I can’t do this strange, charming, nuanced book justice without spoiling it – there’s so many layers. Oh, the fact it's based the Scottish ballads of Thomas the Ryhmer and Tam Linn only make me love it all the more.
Writing wise I just prostrate myself before Diana Wynne Jones’ genius.
Skellig by David Almond - Skellig has been on my reading list for probably ten years. I think part of me worried I'd overhyped it for myself because it seemed like my perfect read - uncanny atmosphere, small town setting and an otherworldly stranger. I needn't have worried. David Almond's storytelling cast its usual spell - gritty, enchanting, ordinary, sublime. His spare style has a cumulative effect and before I knew it my eyes were peeled for the magic glim hovering over every street corner, rotten shed and abandoned mill house.
In terms of writing I’m impressed by how Almond does a lot with very little. If that sounds like a slight, it isn’t. Almond will give you one powerful image rather than bloating the tale with five, and that image sticks in your brain for months. He’s a master of subtext and the best example of the rule ‘write what you know’.
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel - my most recent read. I’ve anticipated the last book in Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy for years. While I enjoyed it, The Mirror and the Light didn’t measure up to the first two books. I didn’t feel the same dread in the pit of my stomach (knowing the history never stopped me hoping against the inevitable!) and wished for more insight into the psyche of Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves, as we got with Anne Boleyn. Cromwell, the man of the moment, seemed a bit off his game, preoccupied with ghosts and memories past, but perhaps that was the point. None of this detracted from the joy of Mantel’s prose and witty dialogue. Some passages, however, felt a bit dialogue heavy. I remember reading how adapting the first two books for the stage changed Mantel’s approach to dialogue, but dialogue devoid of setting detail misses out on the novel’s potential to ground a reader in the scene - for me at least!
Special mention to The Lonely Fajita, which I read at the start of lockdown. I’m finding contemporaries a soothing escape at the moment, a departure from my normal taste and oddly heart-warming. Plus, it’s written by Abigail Mann – if you don’t follow her already, her Instagram is a real treat for writers as she records the ups and downs of writing life.
If you’re a fellow bookworm feel free to follow my reading habits on Goodreads!